The provincial governor of Banteay Meanchey was killed in a traffic accident in Battambang’s Mong Russey district yesterday morning after his car hit a truck on National Road 5.

Try Narin, 36, was travelling to Phnom Penh, according to provincial deputy police chief Chet Vanny.

“Try Narin’s car was speeding and hit the front of a truck [that lacked] reflective lights; his car hit the truck full force. We sent him to hospital, but he died [on the way],” Vanny said, adding that Narin’s chauffeur sustained minor injuries.

The family is expected to travel from the capital to arrange funeral rites and allow officials to pay their respects according to Chan Kosal, a deputy provincial police chief.

Narin appeared to be on the political fast track – after starting as a commune chief in the capital’s Niroth commune, he went on to serve as Poipet town’s governor and was appointed provincial governor in May this year, provincial spokesman Ouk Keo Ratank said yesterday.