DECEMBER 1: The naked body of Soam Nich, 30, was found about 5pm in her house in O'Por village, Preah Vihear province. Police said Nich died from head injuries. Police arrested her husband, Suon Sath, 35, because they suspected he killed his wife with a steel bar after having sex with her.

DECEMBER 3: Police arrested El, 50, after he atttacked a neighbor at 2:10pm in Treng Trayoeung village, Kampong Speu province. Police said El chopped Rous Poeu, 37, three time with a heavy knife because he cursed his parents during an argument. Poeu was sent to a hospital for treatment. A witness said El was angry as Poeu had not handed over land that had been confiscated by the authorities.

DECEMBER 3: Police arrested Rin Aun, 17, for killing a 25-year-old woman in Chrey Taso village, Kampong Cham province. Aun confessed to police that he hit the woman on the neck and head with the handle of a heavy knife and raped her, then stole her five chi (19g) gold necklace while she was in a field looking after goats. The woman died later in a provincial hospital.

DECEMBER 4: Ouk Tim, 43, died in a provincial hospital after he argued with his brother, Ouk Bao, 33, at 7:10pm the previous day in Kampong Nong village, Kampot province. Police said Tim was struck several times on the head with a stick while drinking wine with Bao. Police said the violence happened while the brothers were talking about the inheritance of land belonging to their mother.

DECEMBER 4: Two masked gunmen escaped on a motorbike after they shot dead a jewelry vendor, Vuth Savay, 49, while he worked in his shop at 5:20pm in Malay district, Banteay Meanchey province. Lin Ran, 47, told police the robbers shot her husband twice in the head with a silenced K-54 handgun then they picked up a jewelry box containing more than 50 damleung (1.87kg) of gold.

DECEMBER 4: A 67-year-old woman, Soam Sok, was murdered while entering a forest to look for herbs the previous day in Tum Nam village, Kampong Chhnang province. Police said the woman was reportedly chopped and stabbed several times with a knife and had severe neck injuries. Police suspect revenge was the motive for the killing because its savagery.

DECEMBER 5: The Phnom Penh municipal court sentenced Oam Veasna to 15 years in prison for a murder he committed in Chamroeun Phal village, Phnom Penh. The presiding judge, Eav Kimsrey, said at the hearing that Veasna had organized accomplices to kill a motorbike taxi driver and steal his bike in mid July.

DECEMBER 5: Mam Moeun, 25, was sent to Calmette Hospital after being axed during a drinking session at 10:15pm in Psar Tauch village, Phnom Penh. A witness said one of five unknown men chopped Moeun several times in the head and the body, then the five escaped.

DECEMBER 6: A monk, Moeng Ban, 68, died in a hospital after attempting suicide at midnight in Chrouy Sdao village, Battambang province. Ouch Eang, district governor of Thmar Kaul, said Ban doused himself with three liters of gasoline and set fire to himself. He left a note saying he wanted to go to heaven as he had been a monk for a long time but had not been promoted to be the head of a monastery.

DECEMBER 6: Police arrested Y Leak, 22, for killing a prostitute, Mean Ny, 21, the previous day at a guest house in Skun village, Kampong Cham province. Leak told police he killed the woman by strangling her with a rope then stole a platinum necklace, a platinum ring, and her mobile phone.

DECEMBER 6: A French national, Leroux Pascal Christian, 36, was found dead at noon in his room at a guest house in Sihanoukville. A doctor, Semseth Chauth, said Leroux died from a heart attack after he drank wine the previous night with his friend after arriving in town with his wife. Police said the body was sent to Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh.

DECEMBER 7: Police sent a motorbike taxi driver, San Korp, 35, to Russian hospital for treatment after he was severely injured in a robbery at 8:15pm in Boeng Salarng village, Phnom Penh. A witness told police that Korp had his neck slashed with a knife by two passengers who stole his bike.

DECEMBER 8: Motorbike taxi driver Saut Routhana, 19, died in a provincial hospital where police had taken him for medical treatment after his passenger attacked him with a hatchet during a nighttime robbery in Chamkar Svay village, Battambang province. Police said the robber chopped Routhana several times in the head then escaped on his bike.

DECEMBER 8: A motorbike's owner, Chheang Chhaung, 58, arrested Nhan Dith, 36, and handed him to police after Dith attempted to rob him at 7:30pm in Thnal Bot village, Banteay Meanchey province. Chhaung told police that Dith and an accomplice, who escaped, aimed a K-59 handgun at him and threatened to kill him, but Chhaung resisted and seized the gun.

DECEMBER 9: A couple, Eang Ing, 44, and Prim Lin, 39, died instantly from severe head injuries when hit by a car at 9:45am in Pradit village, Kampong Thom province. Police said the victims were struck by a Camry car while they were riding a bicycle to a nearby market where they planned to buy some food for a wedding party the next day. The car was abandoned about two kilometers from the scene, but the driver escaped.

DECEMBER 10: Police arrested four people after they found 4.2 kilograms of amphetamines in their two Camry cars at around 9am in Preah Ponlea village, Banteay Meanchey province. Hen Sophal, a deputy chief of Serey Sophoan district, said the drug traffickers were Yuong Sou, 48, Heng Pros, 30, Lim Sarin, 45, and Chea Thoeun, 44. Police confiscated the cars, wrap-up equipment and a secret document of the drug list.

DECEMBER 10: Pheng Sophanarith, 19, was robbed while sitting and talking with his girlfriend at around 3pm in Boeng Raing commune, Phnom Penh. Sophanarith told police that six people on two motorcycles aimed a handgun at him then stole his motorbike and a mobile phone. Police arrested three suspects, but they were later freed because of confusion. A witness said the three people identified as Chea Bunhong, 35, a military policeman, Kim Samarth, 39, and Sean Vichit, 30, were arrested and handcuffed by police while driving a motorcycle the same as the robbers used in the robbery.

DECEMBER 11: Police arrested a motorbike taxi driver, Yous Komanmen, 35, after he killed his wife, Leuk Mom, 33, during a fight at 7:30pm in Srah Chak commune, Phnom Penh. Police said Mom was beaten and severely injured then later died at a hospital from head injuries.

DECEMBER 11: Chhurn Vuthy, 31, died in a provincial hospital after attempting suicide at 5:30pm in Prey Lavea village, Takeo province. Police said Vuthy cut his belly open with a knife while he was drunk. He was taken to hospital but could not be saved.

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