British teen dies after falling from train in Thailand
A gap year student from Hertfordshire has died after falling from a train in Thailand.
Matt Lawler, 19, is believed to have been standing between two carriages on a train while smoking a cigarette, police said.
The budding film director had only been in Thailand for five days and was travelling with friends from Bangkok to Phangan island when the tragedy happened on 7 May.
His father Peter, 59, told the Daily Mail: "He was really quirky, really funny and extremely intelligent. He was a rising star.
"For his coursework he had to make a film and they liked it so much, they are using it to show to other students.
"He was really hard-working and really dedicated. He wanted to finance the trip himself."
The Hertfordshire Mercury reports that Matt was due to fly home on 29 May ad his parents were planning on meeting him at Heathrow Airport with his favourite chocolate cake.
His funeral will take place in Hertford on 27 May.
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