AUGUST 1: Thou Savoeun, 43, died at Bayon clinic after she was beaten in a

domestic dispute at 7:10 p.m. in Psar Doeum Thkao commune, Phnom Penh. Police said

that Savoeun died from massive head injuries after she was punched in the face and

pushed down stairs while trying to fight off her son-in-law, Chea Sam An, 26. Sam

An escaped after the assault.

AUGUST 1: Sok Samoeun, 37, and Bourn Samnang, 24, were each sentenced to 20

years in prison after Phnom Penh Municipal court charged them with killing union

leader Chea Vichea. Presiding judge Kong Set said at the hearing that the two men

were arrested on January 29, 2004, after committing the crime. The court ordered

each man to pay $5,000 compensation to Chea Vichea's family.

AUGUST 1: A 15-year-old monk, Pinh Vuthy, was sent to a hospital in Phnom

Penh for medical treatment after being injured at 10:50 a.m. while returning from

begging for food in Svay Por village, Kampong Cham province. Police said Vuthy was

chopped twice in the head with a heavy knife by another monk, Pich Buot, 16, who

escaped after the assault. Police said Buot was angry because Vuthy begged food in

front of him.

AUGUST 1: A 13-year-old girl, Phan Kollian, was found hanged in the early

morning at her house in Samnor Khmao village, Takeo province. Sam Nan, 49, told police

that her daughter committed suicide because she had hit her and criticized her behavior.

The mother said that Kollian had given all the leftover food to their dog, not saving

any for her brother, whom she had been squabbling with.

AUGUST 2: A military policeman, Keo Bun, 29, was robbed of his motorbike while

returning home at around 8 a.m., after dropping off his wife at a nearby garment

factory in Damnak Thom village, Phnom Penh. Bun said that two robbers drove a motorbike

behind him, then blocked his path and aimed a handgun at him before making off with

his bike and his K-54 handgun.

AUGUST 2: A disabled man, Vurn Thy, 39, was killed during a nighttime fight

between two groups of people at a karaoke shop in Pich Nil village, Kampong Speu

province. The shop's owner Eang Vanna, 42, said that Thy was axed to death after

his group had argued with four people over singing a song. Vanna said the four people

were angry because Thy's group would not give them a microphone to sing a song.

AUGUST 2: Khvong Thouch, 85, was murdered in his sleep at midnight in Chumpou

Voan village, Prey Veng province. Police said Thouch was chopped in the head and

the arm with an ax by an unknown man. Police said that revenge was the motivation

for the killing because the killer escaped without stealing any property.

AUGUST 3: Wang Dai, 48, was knifed to death at 9:30 a.m. while sitting in

a hammock at his house in Ta Chor village, Kampong Thom province. His 13-year-old

daughter, Dai Mom, told police that Khy Dien, 43, entered the house and chopped her

father three times in the back of his neck with a heavy knife then escaped on foot.

Police would not comment about the murder, saying only that they were looking for

the killer.

AUGUST 3: Ly Sophoan, 23, was arrested for a murder he allegedly committed

five months ago in Kanchrop village, Kampong Speu province. Police said Sophoan killed

a 6-year-old boy, Vorn Keanhor, then escaped and hid at a guesthouse in Sleng Roling

village, Russey Keo district, Phnom Penh. His father, Lim Chomroeun, 37, said that

Sophoan killed his son while he was looking after the family's cows in a field.

AUGUST 3: Police arrested Som Samnang, 33, for assault at 6 p.m. in Russey

Leap village, Svay Reang province. Police said Samang attempted to kill his sister,

Som Sovanna, 43. Nguon Samet, 47, said his wife, Sovanna, was chopped twice in the

head and twice in the waist after she allegedly lost a cigarette lighter owned by

Samnang. Samet said Samnang demanded his old lighter, even though she had already

bought a new one for 500 riel to replace it.

AUGUST 4: The Phnom Penh municipal court sentenced Phoung Chantha, 25, to

20 years in jail for human trafficking offenses the court said she committed the

previous year in Tonle Bassac commune, Phnom Penh. The presiding judge Nhean Sovan

said at the hearing that Chantha was arrested on December 9, after she brought a

4-year-old girl, Sok Thida, to Anlong Ngan where she kept the girl for sale outside

the city.

AUGUST 4: Two gunmen escaped after robbing a motorbike taxi driver at 6:40

p.m. in Kauk Chambak village, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Saang Leap , 26, complained

to police that the robbers pretended to be passengers, then aimed a handgun at his

head and ordered him to stop, before escaping on his bike.

AUGUST 4: Yon Nim, 37, was knifed to death during an argument in Bos Khnol

commune, Kampong Cham province. Police said the man was stabbed in the neck by a

woman, Sao Heak, 46, who was arrested on the scene. Heak said that she was seeking

revenge because Nim had raped her twice while she sought wild ingredients to cook

at a nearby forest.

AUGUST 5: Ek Dara, 39, a policeman at the Ministry of Interior, was shot and

severely wounded at 7:50 p.m. while parking his car to get gasoline at a Caltex station

in Teuk Thlar commune, Phnom Penh. A witness said that three people were angry and

shot Dara in the shoulder with a handgun after they argued with him over driving.

The witness said the gunmen escaped on a motorcycle after screaming at Dara that

he didn't know the traffic rules.

AUGUST 5: Seng Soknet, 23, was shot dead at midnight while returning home

on a motorbike from Kollap Bauko karaoke shop in Veal Vong commune, Phnom Penh. Yoeun

Vibol, 21, who accompanied Soknet, told police that three people shot him in the

thigh, then shot Soknet in the chest and the back with a K-59 handgun. They escaped

empty-handed on their motorbikes and police said the reason behind the attack was

not known.

AUGUST 7: A 24-year-old man was arrested at his house after being accused

of rape in Kom Nop village, Kampong Speu province. Police said the arrest came after

a family complained that the man raped their 14-year-old daughter the previous night.

The man denied the rape claim, saying that he had entered her house and asked her

to have sex because the two were in love with each other. The man said she shouted

for help while he was trying to touch her head and legs.

AUGUST 7: A policeman, Khun Chandoeun, 48, was shot dead while trying to stop

a man committing a robbery at 6:30 a.m. in Kampong Thkao commune, Siem Reap province.

Provincial Chief of criminal police, Ou Em, said that Chandoeun was shot twice in

the legs and once in the head with a K-59 handgun by the robber, who tried to escape

on a stolen motorbike. Em said that the robber was later surrounded by police and

killed.

AUGUST 8: Police came to inspect the body of Keo Hon, 27, after he was found

at 4:40 a.m. in Tuol Kork village, Phnom Penh. Police said that Hon was chopped several

times in the head and the neck with a heavy knife the previous night while he and

his friends were arguing with a group of gangsters.

- Translated from Khmer newspapers Koh Santepheap and Rasmei Kampuchea by Aun

Pheap