KAMPOT provincial police have arrested four Chinese construction workers on suspicion of assaulting two Cambodian traffic police following a traffic dispute on Sunday, although more involved in the incident remain on the run.

Provincial police Chief Phang Phearin said the four were arrested on Wednesday and have been sent to the provincial court to be charged. “There are more suspects who will be arrested once the investigations are completed,” he said.

Phang Phearin said earlier that “more than 10” men were suspected of having been involved in the assault, which took place after traffic police officers Chhem Hak, 42, and Chamroeut Chhoeun, 43, stopped a truck carrying the workers on Sunday.

After an argument broke out, he said, the police were beaten up, with Chhem Hak sustaining a hip injury and Chamroeut Chhoeun suffering head injuries and a broken hand.

The Chinese men were employed by Sinohydro, a Chinese state-owned company that is building the province’s US$280 million Kamchay hydropower dam.

When contacted on Wednesday, one company representative denied that the arrests had taken place, claiming the workers had merely been summoned for questioning.

“They did not arrest people. They just asked them to court for some information,” said Shu Jiang, the deputy managing director of Sinohydro.

“I’ve made every action to cooperate with the police station.” If the men are indeed arrested, Shu Jiang said, the company will “follow the correct legal process”.