The governor of Taveng district in Ratanakkiri province drowned Saturday after getting into difficulty while swimming in the Sesan river, police said Sunday.
Nim Khoeu, 45, and two student volunteers were visiting Taveng village on Saturday morning, and after lunch they decided to go for a swim in the river about 300 meters from the district office, according to deputy district police chief Thuon Sorya.
Nim Khoeu was following one of the students who had swum to an island in the middle of the river, but he suffered cramps half way across, according to Mr. Sorya.
“He shouted that his leg had cramped when he was swimming but the students could not help him because they were tired from swimming,” Mr. Sorya said, adding that police recovered Nim Khoeu’s body about 20 minutes later.
Provincial Ratanakkiri governor Pao Ham Phan expressed shock at the death of Nim Khoeu, but said that there was nothing suspicious about the drowning.
The body was cremated Monday.
