The Phnom Penh Post News in Brief

via CAAI

Puth Amab succumbs to injuries from fight

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 15:00 Yeun Ponlok

Local kickboxer Puth Amab died Monday night at Calmette hospital from injuries sustained in a fight at Bayon TV boxing arena on Sunday. National Olympic Committee of Cambodia President Thong Khon said the death will be fully investigated and is currently awaiting a report from the boxing federation, who declined to comment yesterday. Bayon TV are said to be responsible for the costs of the investigation. This is the second tragedy that has hit Cambodian boxing this year after Sor Sopheak died after his bout at CTN boxing arena in June. Puth Amab’s body was sent to his home province of Svay Rieng yesterday for cremation.

Thai nationals leave country after pardon

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 15:01 Cheang Sokha

THREE Thai nationals released from prison in Siem Reap on Monday after being granted a royal pardon returned to Thailand yesterday, Cambodian border officials said. Touch Ra, deputy director of the Cambodia-Thailand Border Relations Office at the Choam Sa-Ngam border checkpoint in Oddar Meanchey province, said the men were welcomed at the border by family members and Thai officials at around 1pm yesterday. “They travelled by car from Phnom Penh and Thai embassy officials also accompanied them on the trip,” Touch Ra said. The three were arrested and jailed for crossing illegally into Cambodia in August.

Violent man detained

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 15:01 Kim Yuthana

A 55-YEAR-old man accused of attacking his wife with a hoe was placed in pretrial detention after an appearance at Stung Treng provincial court yesterday, officials said. Soun Leang, chief of the provincial Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Bureau, said yesterday that the victim had been sent to the provincial hospital with a broken hand and serious injuries to her head. He said the man had blamed the attack on a drunken rage, but noted that the victim had reported that it “was not the first time” he had lashed out violently towards her.

German government to support KR victims

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 15:01 Sebastian Strangio

THE German government has pledged €1.2 million (around US$1.58 million) to support victims’ participation at the Khmer Rouge tribunal. According to a statement issued by the court yesterday, the agreement was signed on Monday by Tony Kranh, the KRT’s Acting Director of Administration, and a senior official from GTZ, the German development agency. The money will go towards a 16-month project, ending in December 2011, that will cover the “processing, outreach, and legal representation” of victims at the hybrid court. Since 2005, Germany has donated over €7 million ($9.22 million) to both the international and national sides of the KRT, the statement said.

Spanish man on trial over child sex charges

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 15:01 Chrann Chamroeun

PHNOM Penh Municipal Court yesterday heard an in absentia case against a Spanish national charged with purchasing child prostitution.

Francisco Pellicer Caules, 57, was arrested and detained in Spain in September of last year, on suspicion of purchasing sex from a 14-year-old boy who had been employed as a cleaner at his rented home in Phnom Penh’s Prampi Makara district, officials said. Prosecutors yesterday called for the suspect to be brought to Cambodia to face the charges.