A farmer has died in hospital after he was stung by “thousands” of wasps in Kampong Thom’s Santuk district.

Twenty-six-year-old Pry Vor inadvertently disturbed a nest and released a swarm of the insects while climbing a sugar palm behind his home in Kor Koh commune to collect fruit for his family, according to Commune Police Chief Ly Nguon Theang.

“He rushed to get down to the ground and didn’t fall, but thousands of wasps were attacking him all over his body, particularly his face and hands, which became swollen,” Theang said.

“Many villagers tried to save him by dispersing and killing the wasps with their shoes but could not stop [the attack] until they flew away.”

Vor, married only three months ago, was taken to hospital around 1pm but died a few hours later on Friday.

“We tried to help him, but could not,” said Lim Sun Bun Hong, director of the Kampong Thom Provincial Hospital, who said the victim’s vital systems were overwhelmed by the multitude of bites.

“The venom had already circulated through his body.”