DECEMBER 16: A taxi crashed into a heavy truck at 3:10 p.m. on National Road

7 in Khel Chey village, Kampong Cham province. Police said one woman died instantly

and four other passengers were severely injured while riding from Kampong Cham to

Phnom Penh. Police said the victims were sent to the provincial hospital for treatment,

but later transferred to a hospital in Phnom Penh.

DECEMBER 17: A motodop driver, Chhim Puot, 21, was sent to the provincial

hospital for medical treatment after being axed in a robbery at 2:00 p.m. in Santepheap

village, Battambang province. A witness told police Puot was chopped 15 times by

his two passengers who then escaped on his bike.

DECEMBER 17: A 14-year-old boy, Phy Samphors, died at Bayon Clinic after hanging

himself with a krama while his parents were not home. Police said the suicide occurred

at 7:30 p.m. in Psar Doeum Thkao Precinct, Phnom Penh. The reason is not known.

DECEMBER 17: Police are looking for Tram Thos, 42, who escaped after committing

a murder in Kampong Chanlos village, Kampong Cham province. Police said the man killed

his brother-in-law during an argument. Tuot Sau, 38, was chopped once in the neck

with a heavy knife and died at the scene.

DECEMBER 18: A 22-year-old monk, Phal Sophea, was found dead at a water pump

station around 1:00 p.m. in Cham village, Prey Veng province. Police said the monk

was reportedly chopped 11 times in the head and face with an ax while pumping water

for a rice field to help people during the dry season. Police are investigating the

motive for the murder.

DECEMBER 19: A motorbike driver, Tao Bunna, 38, died instantly from massive

head injuries during a nighttime accident on National Road 2 in Prek Tanou village,

Phnom Penh. Police said Bunna was struck from the front by another motorbike while

driving fast from Takhmau to Phnom Penh. Three other victims were sent to Russian

Hospital for treatment.

DECEMBER 19: A 12-year-old girl, Rin Sreylen, was sent to the provincial hospital

for medical treatment after being knifed at 7:00 a.m. in Preus Meas village, Kampong

Cham province. Police said the girl was struck twice in the shoulder by a male neighbor,

Khim Me, 39, who was later arrested after trying to escape. Me said he had attempted

to kill the girl's father because he is a sorcerer.

DECEMBER 20: At least four people died and five others were severely injured

after a Toyota Hilux truck overturned at 11:55 a.m. on National Road 4 in Smach Deng

village, Sihanoukville. Police said the car ran off the road, then rolled three times

after its driver tried to avoid a boy crossing the road on a bicycle. The driver

ran away after the accident.

DECEMBER 20: One person died and another was severely injured when two motorbikes

crashed at 2:00 p.m. on National Road 5 in Mak Hoeun village, Banteay Meanchey province.

Police said Hum Yar, 20, was killed instantly when a container truck rolled over

him after he fell off his bike during the accident. The truck driver, Pen Saly, 29,

was arrested at the scene.

DECEMBER 20: Two gunmen escaped on a stolen motorbike after committing a robbery

at 6:45 p.m. in Prey Tear village, Phnom Penh. A witness told police the robbers

blocked the path of Chum Chamrong, 34, shot him in the waist with a K-59 handgun

and then stole his bike. Chamrong was sent to Chantrea Clinic and was later transferred

to Preah Keatomealear Hospital for surgery.

DECEMBER 21: A 17-year-old boy, Ouch Veasna, was murdered and his body left

on a hill of garbage in Stung Meanchey village, Phnom Penh. A witness told police

three gangsters beat Veasna to death with sticks as he rode a bicycle from the garbage

dump the previous night. Police thought revenge was the motive for the killing because

the gangsters had recently argued with him.

DECEMBER 21: Two people, Sath Tha, 24, and Sao Pros, 20, were arrested for

a murder they allegedly committed eight months ago in Boeng Raing village, Sihanoukville.

Police said the men killed a 70-year-old woman, Thuon Y, by strangling her with a

rope and stole her six-chi gold necklace.

DECEMBER 22: Police are looking for Chit Choeun, 22, who escaped after knifing

a neighbor, Nhem Sovanna, 41, in Prek Thmey village, Kandal province. Police said

Choeun was angry and stabbed Sovanna twice in the back and once in the arm after

coming to stop him arguing with his father at night. Sovanna was sent to a hospital

for medical treatment.

DECEMBER 22: Noy Noeun, 48, was chopped twice with a heavy knife and severely

injured during a nighttime attack in Prek Anchanh village, Kandal province. A witness

told police Thao Saroeun, 20, became angry after Noeun criticized his behavior of

ranting and raving while drunk. Saroeun escaped after the attack.

DECEMBER 23: Khlaing Loeun, 20, died from massive head injuries at the provincial

hospital after he was beaten at 6:00 a.m. in Treak village, Siem Reap province. Police

said Loeun was stopped by a group of people while returning home from the Sofitel

Royal Angkor and struck on the head with sticks. The assailants escaped, but police

are looking for those people to arrest them for trial.

DECEMBER 23: A mob beat to death two suspected robbers, Phan Savoeun, 25,

and Cheav Kong, 23, while they tried to escape after allegedly committing a robbery

at 4:45 p.m. in Prey Tear village, Phnom Penh. Police said the thieves killed a motodop

driver, then attempted to steal his motorbike. The motorbike owner was shot twice

with a K-54 handgun and he later died at a hospital in Phnom Penh.

DECEMBER 23: An 8-year-old girl, San Sreyleak, was found dead in a forest

near her house in Bangky Taing Ren village, Kampong Thom province. Police said the

girl was raped and then murdered. Police arrested Srun Sreang, 25, who confessed

that he really killed the girl after the rape.

DECEMBER 24: Sai Meng, 40, died instantly and his wife was injured after a

grenade exploded at 2:30 a.m. in Papeal Khel village, Battambang province. Chan Soeun,

36, told police three unknown men opened fire on her house before throwing the grenade

into her husband's room. Soeun said they attempted to steal $10,000 that she had

received from a relative in America.

DECEMBER 24: Chhan Son, 35, was found dead at 7:00 a.m. in a rice field in

Sopor village, Prey Veng province. Police said the woman was strangled with a rope

while harvesting crops. Police suspect robbery was the motivation for the killing

because her one-chi gold earrings had been stolen.

DECEMBER 24: Police arrested Meas Chhuon, 84, after he was accused of rape

one month ago in T'bong Krapeu village, Kampong Thom province. Chhuon confessed to

police that he raped his 15-year-old niece three times. However, the girl said she

had been raped seven times.

DECEMBER 25: A taxi driver, Ou Sinoeun, 30, was shot and severely wounded

in a robbery at Boeng Snai village, Kampong Cham province. Sinoeun said a passenger

asked him to stop to urinate but then shot him twice in the chest and back with a

handgun before attempting to steal the car. The gunman escaped on foot after he could

not start the car.

DECEMBER 25: A 32-year-old woman, Hem Hong, was sent to the provincial hospital

for medical treatment after being knifed during a domestic dispute at 9:30 a.m. in

Chup village, Siem Reap province. Police said the woman was struck three times in

the head by her husband, Mao Moeuy, 42, who was drunk. The man was arrested.

DECEMBER 26: An ambulance took a moto-taxi driver, Ron Torhean, 27, to Preah

Kossamak Hospital for surgery after being shot during a nighttime robbery in Srah

Chak Commune, Phnom Penh. Police said two unknown men shot Torhean in the stomach

with a handgun then escaped on his motorbike.

DECEMBER 26: The body of Cyril Barbier, 34, a French national, was found floating

in the sea in Mondul 1 Precinct, Sihanoukville. Police said Barbier probably drowned

after entering the water for a swim or bath. An ambulance took him to the French

Embassy in Phnom Penh for an autopsy.

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

Pheap