The Svay Rieng Provincial Court director said Tuesday that the bus company involved in a deadly crash that killed 19 people and injured 21 in Svay Rieng province in May has had its latest compensation offer rejected by the victims’ families.
The families had demanded $20,000 and $10,000 for each death or injury, respectively, but the company, 15 SH Transport, offered a total of just $40,000 in July, according to Provincial Court director Pech Chhoeut, who said he could not remember the exact date.
Eighteen garment workers and a driver died after a bus attempted to overtake a car and collided head-on with a van that was carrying them to work on May 19. The driver of the bus, Vietnamese national Le Van Tung, 43, was charged with unlicensed driving and careless driving resulting in death.
“The negotiations have not met the request of the garment workers and their families because they demanded higher compensation from the bus company,” Mr. Chhoeut said.
“I wish to state that the driver is still facing the court despite the company offering compensation to the victims,” he added.
Mr. Van Tung’s trial has been delayed while the company and victims’ families attempted to negotiate compensation, he said, adding that the case would be sent to trial later this month.
Duong Rotha, the owner of 15 SH Transport, declined to comment on the negotiations because they are being handled by the Cambodian National Insurance Company.
Sem Thary, 26, the sister of Sem Rany, 24, who was killed in the crash in Svay Teap district, said she was among those who rejected the company’s most recent compensation offer.
“I demanded $20,000 for the death of my sister and I think that this money is not much for the life of my sister because if she had stayed alive she would have made many more times the amount of compensation offered,” she said.
