A Forestry Administration official was killed while on assignment in Kratie province’s Sambor district on Wednesday afternoon following a fatal traffic accident between a motorbike and a truck, local traffic police confirmed yesterday.

Nguon Sarin, deputy chief of the Sambor district police in charge of traffic, said the victim, Thlang Kimlong, 52, was riding on the back of a motorbike in Achein village to measure land and demarcate boundaries for an acacia plantation owned by Think Biotech Co Ltd when a company truck hit Kimlong and motodop Chhim Veachar, 25.

Veachar reportedly tried to overtake the truck on the uneven dirt road when his bike accidentally made contact with the other vehicle, causing the motorbike to be flung to the side and Kilong to be tossed under the truck.

The truck, driven by a man named Im Sopheak, 35, allegedly sped away after the collision, which resulted in minor injuries for Veachar but almost sudden death for Kimlong.

“In the incident, the motorbike driver was injured slightly, but the car escaped immediately while workers and security forces were looking for the victim’s body,” Sarin said. “But in this case, the [truck] driver was not at fault.”

As a show of respect, officials with the company showed up at the scene and paid the victim’s family compensation.

Think Biotech also helped transport the body for funeral rites in the victim’s hometown of Prey Leave village, located in Kampong Cham’s Kang Meas district.