Scavengers on Monday discovered a body 1 kilometre from Otres Beach in Preah Sihanouk province, with a police autopsy revealing the man had been killed in brutal manner.

Deputy Stung Hav district police chief Chan Phearom yesterday said the scavengers found the body in a fetid pool of water wrapped in four plastic bags, with the man’s head inside a smaller plastic bag.

“We saw that he was stabbed near the elbow and on the shoulder,” Phearom said. “He was dropped there more than a week ago, because the corpse had already swollen,” he said, adding: “It could be that the victim was still alive and they used the plastic bag to suffocate him to death,” he added.

According to Phearom, the victim was a 30-40-year-old Asian man. No local businesses or residents reported disappearances, he said, leading police to conclude that “the body could have been brought from far away and dumped [here]”.

Provincial Governor Yun Min downplayed the discovery. “We are worried it could scare away tourists, but it is normal,” he said. “When there are more people, there are more crimes.”