MARCH 23: Tuy Khan, 38, was arrested for murder in Prey Khla village, Prey

Veng province. Police said Khan killed Vong Sim, 62, a construction worker. Khan

told police he beat Sim to death with a steel bar because he had been in a love affair

with his wife since he came to build his house.

MARCH 23: Soy Chea, 22, was sent to a provincial hospital for treatment after

attempting suicide during a family argument at 3:40pm in Wat Ang village, Kampot

province. Police said Chea grabbed a 2-month-old baby from the hands of his wife

and stabbed the baby twice in the stomach then stabbed himself in the stomach because

his wife looked down on his family.

MARCH 24: Police arrested four people for extortion at 3:30pm in the Chhouk

Rout coffee shop in Psar Thmey 3 commune, Phnom Penh. Police named the four suspects

as Soung Sokhen, 32, assistant to deputy prime minister Lu Lay Sreng; Say Saroeun,

61, a construction worker; Chum Savoeun, 41, a policeman at PJ; and Pen Sunna, 32.

Police said the arrest came after Soun Devy, 51, complained that the four threatened

her for $20,000 ransom. Devy said the four killed her husband over a 1999 land dispute.

MARCH 24: Lightning killed Kroch Moeut, 4, during a rainstorm at 2:40pm in

Kam Reng village, Pursat province. Police said the lightning also injured Moeut's

mother, who is now under treatment at a provincial hospital.

MARCH 25: Yoak Yin, 22, was arrested and later sent to a provincial court

in connection with a rape case in Por Khao village, Kampong Thom province. Police

said Khao raped a 4-year-old girl while she was walking home from watching television

at a neighbor's house.

MARCH 26: Three gangsters escaped after killing Hak Sok, 50, and injuring

his daughter, Hak Kimsour, 19, at 7:50pm in downtown Sihanoukville. Sun Vanthon,

48, told police that one of the three suspects was Pen Thim, who entered her house

and chopped her husband to death with a heavy knife. The gangsters then chopped her

daughter in the arm when she came to help her father. Police suspected revenge was

the reason of the killing because Vanthon said the three recently fought with her

son, Hak Kimsan, 22.

MARCH 26: Ann Noeun, 44, died on the way to hospital after she was beaten

in a family violence at 6:30pm in Steung Chak village, Battambang province. Police

said Noeun was struck on the neck with a bamboo stick while arguing with her husband,

Thau Meth, 44. Meth became angry as she criticized him in front of people when he

drank. Meth escaped after the assault.

MARCH 26: Ou Sry, 28, was arrested for murder after she went to police station

and complained that robbers killed her husband and stole 100,000 riel in Sen Ponlang

village, Kampot province. Police said Sry confessed that she killed her husband because

he wanted to marry another woman. Chhoeun Sa Ym, 29, was beaten to death with a steel

bar while sleeping the previous night.

MARCH 28: Prak Theara, 19, a student at the National University for Management,

was shot and wounded while driving his motorbike at 3:30am in Psar Kandal 1 commune,

Phnom Penh. His friend told police Theara, underwent surgery at Calmette Hospital,

was shot in the bottom with a K-54 handgun by an unknown man who escaped in his car.

He said the man was probably angry after Theara tried to overtake his car.

MARCH 28: Lon Soklay, 22, was shot dead during a robbery while giving a ride

to two girls at 5:30am in Traloak Bek village, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Eyewitness

told police two robbers on a motorbike blocked the path of Soklay and shot him in

the ear with a handgun then stole his bike.

MARCH 28: Surn Touch, 40, was found dead in the early morning in Andong Por

village, Kampong Cham province. Police came to inspect the body and said murder was

the reason because Touch had been injured in the neck. Police suspect that Touch

was killed with a stick while walking home from a dance the previous night.

MARCH 29: Sam Teng, 43, was arrested by police after killing his mother-in-law,

Choung Chea, 72, during a family argument at 8:40pm in Kraing Yaov village, Kandal

province. Reth Mok, 41, told police Teng was drunk and chopped his mother-in-law

with an ax. Mok said Teng always hurt her when he became drank.

MARCH 29: Ben Moeun, 38, escaped after killing his brother-in-law, Chhum Lan,

37, during a drinking session in Kauk Romeas village, Siem Reap province. Police

said the argument happened after Moeun spoke Thai language to Lan while they were

drunk. Lan was chopped to death with a heavy knife because he tried to stop Moeun

who still kept speaking Thai.

MARCH 29: Soth Vansen, 29, was shot and wounded at a nighttime dancing argument

in Chak Angre Krom village, Phnom Penh. Police said Vansen died later at a hospital

after he was shot in the back with a handgun by a group of gangsters who escaped

on their motorbikes.

MARCH 30: Police arrested three gangsters for violence during a dancing argument

at a wedding party the previous night in Por Reach village, Svay Rieng province.

Police said Kong Neang, 25, Kong Rasmey, 20, and Koy Thima, 19, injured Am Vontha,

19, who later died at a provincial hospital where he was taken for treatment after

the three beat him on the head with a stick.

MARCH 30: Chan Thy, 51, was found dead in the kitchen of her house in Psar

Thmey 3 commune, Phnom Penh. Police suspected robbery was the motivation of the killing

because Thy's husband said 10 damleung of jewelry and $20,000 in cash were stolen.

Police said she was stabbed to death with a knife while gambling with other people

at her house when her husband was not at home.

MARCH 31: Van Voeuth, 32, was found dead in the early morning in Kauk Prich

village, Banteay Meanchey province. Police said Voeuth was killed elsewhere and his

body dropped there after he had argued with a group of seven people who drank palm

wine the previous night. Police filed a complaint for arrest because they know the

identity of the suspects.

APRIL 1: Chap Pesith, 33, a police officer at the Ministry of Interior, committed

suicide during a jealous argument at 9:30pm in Psar Thmey 3 commune, Phnom Penh.

Police said Pesith shot himself in the temple with a handgun after wounding his wife,

Chan Sarin, 31, and 7-year-old daughter, Pesith Monirouth.

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

Pheap