A university student had his hand severed in an altercation after he allegedly failed to pay US$5 for sex in Siem Reap on Thursday night, police said.

Hong Bunhav, a police officer in Siem Reap, said yesterday that 28-year-old Soun Rithy had sex with a 16-year-old sex worker at Sammang Wata guesthouse in Siem Reap town’s Taphol village.

The next morning, however, he failed to pay her because he had spent all his money on food and fees at the guesthouse. He tried to phone a friend to borrow US$5 to pay the sex worker, but his friend did not answer.  

The woman then sought the help of her boyfriend and three other men, who allegedly accosted the victim and used a knife to cut off his left hand.

“His left hand was severed and could not be reattached by doctors,” said Poeng Chindareth, chief of Siem Reap police’s minor crime unit yesterday.

“Three men have been arrested and sent to provincial court in connection with cutting off the victim’s hand,” he added. He did release the name of the suspects. Court officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.