Grant Harrison, 36, had been sunbathing by the pool on Koh Phangan – site of the famous Full Moon Party – when he went to get a drink and was killed.
The Middlesbrough supporter had arrived in the Far East with his girlfriend in the New Year to go travelling.
Originally from North Yorkshire, Harrison had been a regular contributor to Middlesbrough FC fanzine Fly Me To The Moon.
Fanzine editor Rob Nichols said: “He was a real character. He will be greatly missed.”
A fellow fan posted on a football messaging site: “He was relaxing by the pool, decided to go for a bottle of water and it cost him his life.”
A spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed the death and said it was assisting the next of kin.
