A corpse was discovered floating in the Tonle Sap river opposite Wat Ounalom in Daun Penh district yesterday afternoon, attracting crowds of gawkers as police and bystanders dragged the body from the water and into one of the capital’s most popular tourist haunts.

The dead man was found floating about five metres away from an open sewer, police said.

Lim Serei Sophuon, police chief of Chey Chumneah commune, said the body – which was dressed in a T-shirt, shorts and a pair of leather sandals – belonged to a Cambodian man.

The bloated corpse was discovered at about 4pm, when two swimmers came across the grisly find during a dip in the river.

“The man probably died after he drowned in the water. We don’t know his identity yet, but we found him with a SIM card and wearing a watch,” added Serei Sophuon. “We will investigate this case and the cause

of death.”

Although the exact time of death is not known, Serei Sophuon told the Post the body must have been floating in the river for some time as it was bloated with water and rigor mortis had set in.

Police hired four bystanders to pull the body out of the water, and a crowd of tourists and locals alike gathered as they made their initial observations. Eyewitnesses said the corpse had cuts and injuries to the leg.

Norwegian tourist Chris Sandli, 25, was at the scene with his girlfriend when he saw police drag out the body.

“They placed him by the riverside for a long time just inspecting it. He looked in a really bad shape,” he said.