Australian Matthew Winder’s family face the task of bringing his body home from Thailand

The family of an Australian man found dead inside a Thai police cell now face the painstaking task of bringing his body back home.

Matthew Winder, 31, from Newcastle, was visiting the holiday island of Phuket on a five-day solo trip to add to his array of face tattoos when he died about midday on Monday morning.

Police were called to the busy Kathu district where Mr Winder was found to be either ‘intoxicated by alcohol or on drugs’ about 5am on Monday.

He was arrested for being ‘drunk and disorderly’ and reported to be shouting at hotel guests.

The body piercer was left unattended at 11.30am while a guard went to get lunch and when he returned to the second-floor cell he made the grim discovery. 

The family are now working to get his body back into Australia, with one of his close friends setting up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs. 

The 31-year-old from Newcastle was visiting the holiday island of Phuket on a five-day solo trip to add to his array of face tattoos when he died of a suspected suicide 

The fundraiser has already hit the $15,000 target to help with his repatriation and ‘the proper burial he deserves’.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they are providing ‘consular assistance’ to Mr Winder’s family and sent their condolences to his loved ones.

His loving partner Ayla Varoxis and her 10-month-old daughter were eagerly awaiting his return and she told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday that ‘he told me that he drank too much and just wants to be home’.

Thai authorities declared his death a suicide, but Ms Varoxis insisted he would not have taken his own life and had every intention of going home as planned on Tuesday.

‘I think he shouldn’t have been left alone in the state he was in,’ she said.

‘I don’t believe Matty was suicidal. I spoke to him five hours before the incident. 30 minutes before he was arrested.

‘Yes, he was intoxicated. But he just wanted to come home. He was not suicidal.’

His friends echoed the same sentiment, claiming there was likely much more to the story.

‘Suicide my a***,’ one friend wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

‘What’s a joke their police are. As if he quickly committed suicide in the half hour the guard has a break. Liars.’

Another friend said: ‘Devastating news I’m shattered to hear this. And truly believe there is something wrong with the story.’

Thai police have confirmed there will be an autopsy and an official investigation is underway into Mr Winder’s death.

Ms Varoxis and her 10-month-old daughter were eagerly awaiting his return and she told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday that ‘he told me that he drank too much and just wants to be home’

Photos and videos of Mr Winder showed him puffing on cigarettes on the beach, drinking cocktails, smoking bongs, and hanging out in clubs overlooking Phuket

On Sunday night, about 24 hours before he was arrested, Mr Winder posted a video of Patong Beach to social media, with the caption: ‘Goodnight Thailand. Missing my Ayla Varoxis.’

Three days earlier, he assured his girlfriend that he couldn’t wait to fly back home to Newcastle, north of Sydney in NSW, to see her and their young daughter McKenzie.

‘Okay you can come home now,’ Ms Varoxis wrote on social media. ‘It’s too quiet without you and I miss my shadow way too much.’

Mr Winder replied: ‘Only a few days to go baby I wish I was home right now xoxox love you to bits.’

Other photos and videos showed him puffing on cigarettes on the beach, drinking cocktails, smoking bongs, and hanging out in clubs overlooking Phuket.

Ms Varoxis commented: ‘Well deserved break. Love and miss you.’

For confidential 24-hour support in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14.