25 Aug 2011

Top croquet administrator killed in Thailand

7:25 pm on 25 August 2011

World Croquet Federation president and New Zealander Charles Jones has been killed at a tourist resort in Thailand.

Mr Jones is believed to have been attacked on Tuesday in a rented apartment while on holiday in the Jomtien area in the city of Pattaya.

The administrator had stopped over while returning from an international championship in London.

Mr Jones' family says Interpol is involved in investigating the death.

Brother-in-law Robert McMillan says details of what happened on Tuesday are not confirmed, but he knows there was a robbery in which Mr Jones' computer and cellphone were taken.

Mr McMillan says he expects to receive a report from the New Zealand embassy in Bangkok, but not the Thai police.

He says he is sure Mr Jones was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says staff are providing consular assistance to the family.

Croquet New Zealand executive director Murray Taylor says no-one can believe the news and there has been a large outpouring of grief from the sport's members.