BEN RICHARDS is to be farewelled at 2pm on Tuesday with a service and cremation ceremony at Wat Prathong in Thalang, with many of his Phuket friends expected to attend.

His sister, Kimberley, said she and her mother, Jan, would fly to Australia on Thursday. A remembrance gathering would be held next Saturday, probably at the house Ben owned in Noosa, a popular Queensland coastal resort town.

Her brother, aged 31, walked into the water at Surin beach on Saturday, November 28, after giving away many of his possessions and having had a final massage and a meal.

Kimberley, who sensed that her brother was growing disoriented, possibly because of medication he was taking, booked the first available flight to Phuket to help him but it did not arrive until the Sunday.

Ben's body was found seven kilometres out to sea. Kimberley believes Ben, a strong swimmer, was aiming to return to Australia.

Ben had been on Phuket for two years and had made many friends. ''We've spent the past week with Ben's friends,'' said Kimberley, 34.

''We've been delighted to get to know them. He really made some good ones.''

Among them, she said, were Thais, Italians, Dutch and Canadians. A memorial page has been set up on Facebook for Ben.

People requiring details of Tuesday's arrangements should call Kimberley on 083 6375017.