Shane Warne’s friends in Thailand meet with police to discuss returning his body to Australia

Police investigators interviewed Shane Warne’s friends at the villa on Koh Samui where the cricketing great was staying.(Supplied: Bo Phut Police Station)

Friends of Shane Warne who were staying with him in Thailand before his unexpected death have met with Thai Police to discuss repatriating the Australian cricketing great’s body.

The friends spoke briefly to journalists after a meeting at the Bo Phut Police Station on Koh Samui.

“We just really want to get Shane home,” Warne’s close friend Andrew Neophitou said.

Warne died of a suspected heart attack, aged 52, at a villa on Koh Samui on Friday.

His body was sent to Koh Samui Hospital, where an autopsy was to be carried out.

His death came less than 24 hours after fellow great Rod Marsh died in hospital, having suffered a heart attack last week.

Australian Ambassador to Thailand, Allan McKinnon, travelled from Bangkok for the meeting, which also included Thai immigration officers.

Mr McKinnon declined to comment as he left the police station.

Earlier, consular officials from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) met with Warne’s friends at the Samujana Villas where they had all been staying.

“DFAT is working with Thai authorities to confirm arrangements following his passing, assist with his repatriation and provide other assistance on the ground,” Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in a statement.

Royal Thai Police told the ABC they were not treating Warne’s death as suspicious but wanted to complete a thorough investigation.

They said they would take statements from his friends and ask forensic officers to examine the villa.

The Australian men’s Test team observed a minute’s silence before the start of play on day two of the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

The women’s ODI team paid its respects prior to its opening World Cup match against England in New Zealand.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said a state funeral for “one of our greatest cricketers of all time” would be organised by the federal and Victorian governments, Cricket Australia and Warne’s family.

In a statement, Mr Morrison said Warne brought “something magical” to Australia’s summers, and he was bewildered by the sad and sudden loss.

On Saturday afternoon, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the Great Southern Stand at the MCG would be renamed in Warne’s honour.

ABC