Police yesterday crashed the engagement ceremony of an Australian man and his Cambodian fiancee, alleging the couple was trying to tie the knot without government permission.

Officers from Kandal’s S’ang district swooped down on the party in Traeuy Sla commune and demanded Andrew Clinton, in his mid 30s, and Ly Moniroth, 25, get proper approval.

Local media initially suggested Clinton’s visa had expired, but S’ang police chief Seng Socheat said this wasn’t so. “His visa was not expired… but he did not have permission."

"He has to follow the legal procedure. We stopped them after they had just erected the tent," said Socheat, claiming it was not an engagement party.

“Actually, it was a wedding, but they just put it under the umbrella of an engagement ceremony. We have asked him to go back home and start the procedure again.”