Farmer Detained After Rice Harvesters Poisoned: More Poisoned At Funeral

Kampong Chhnang: Police have arrested a watermelon farmer who is suspected of poisoning water with toxic chemicals, which led to the deaths of two people and hospitalizing others in Kampong Chhnang Provincial Referral Hospital. The arrest took place on the afternoon of November 28.

The deadly case of water poisoning occurred in Chi Prang village, Chiep commune, Teuk Phos district, Kampong Chhnang province on November 25.

The suspect, who is the owner of the plantation, was arrested and brought to Kampong Chhnang Provincial Police for work. The suspect, Chea Vith, 46, lives in Top Talat village, Cheap commune, Teuk Phos district.

Kampong Chhnang Provincial Deputy Police Commissioner, Brigadier General Pol Vuthy, said that after a case of water poisoning, the provincial police force investigated the cause of the accident. Three buckets of chemicals and equipment were washed at a nearby well after spraying watermelon, he said, adding that the well was in the suspect’s field. Three ‘insect repellent shells'(?) were used as a sign for others to know.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, Ms. O Vandin, said on the night of November 27 that according to the report on the suspected case of water poisoning with toxic chemicals, thirteen people, including eight women and five men, ranging in age from 4 to 53. Two died (two females) and 13 were hospitalized in Kampong Chhnang Provincial Hospital. People. 

Separately, according to the report from the Provincial Health Department of Kampong Chhnang Province, it was also reported that according to the interrogation, the villagers of Chi Prang went to harvest rice in Prey Okorki, Chiep Commune from November 23 to November 25. On the morning of November 24, at around 11 o’clock, they ran out of water to drink, so they went to fetch water from a well dug in the fields and shared it for lunch.

It should be noted that in the morning, watermelon farmers were seen nearby taking the mixing tank and washing the container there before and after spraying the crop. 

After drinking the water for a while, a woman showed signs of nausea, and others were rushed to hospital .

Other victims recovered and returned to their homes on Nov. 27. RASMEI Photo: Tep Kangri

UPDATE: Kampong Chhnang: Around 33 men and women are being transported to the Kampong Chhnang Provincial Referral Hospital, after suspected of drinking tainted alcohol at the funeral of one of the rice harvesters in Teuk Phos district, Kampong Chhnang province. According to Dr. Prak Von, Director of Kampong Chhnang Provincial Health Department, doctors are still rushing to transport patients with alcohol poisoning to the referral hospital. Some patients with serious symptoms were sent to Phnom Penh for treatment. NKD