PHUKET police now believe that a broken tile on the new resort indicates that Mr Morris may have forgotten his room key and been trying to swing down from the roof to his balcony when he fell.


AN AUSTRALIAN has plunged to his death from a balcony on Phuket after an argument about the World Cup with his Thai girlfriend.

The 29-year-old man came to Phuket each holiday low season between May and October and was planning to watch the Australia versus Germany game, telecast live from South Africa this Sunday.

However, his Thai girlfriend told police in Patong, Phuket's largest west coast holiday destination, that she argued with her seasonal boyfriend because she supports Germany, as well as Brazil.

''We both got very excited, maybe too excited,'' she said. ''So we agreed that it would be best if we split until after the World Cup was over.''

The dead man, named by police as Shawn Anthony Morris, went out alone last night, the woman, who preferred to remain anonymous, told police.

The Australian's girlfriend said that he telephoned her last night and wanted to catch up immediately, but she thought it was not wise. She said he became quite upset.

At 6am, after he returned to the Kanjana Hotel off Nanai Road, Mr Morris plunged three storeys to his death on the road. He was dressed in a pair of shorts and was barefoot.

Groups of Australians are coming to Phuket and Thailand to watch the World Cup because the three-hour time zone difference with Australia's east coast makes it more convenient.

Australia is the underdog for Sunday's game. Germany has not been defeated in a World Cup opener since being beaten 2-0 by Algeria 28 years ago.