Unknown assailants set off a highly explosive TNT bomb early Saturday on Phnom Penh’s Street 55, in front of the house of a doctor and just meters from the residence of powerful businesswoman Cheung Sopheap, head of land and timber giant Pheapimex Co Ltd, officials said Sunday.
The TNT exploded around 1:30 am on the sidewalk in front of the home of Duong Bun, a doctor at Preah Kossamak Hospital. Duong Bun’s house neighbors that of Cheung Sopheap, also known as Yay Phou, said Oun Sam Ang, Daun Penh district’s Chaktomuk commune chief. “The explosion happened about 2 meters from Yay Phou’s house,” Oun Sam Ang said. “But nobody got hurt.”
Police are investigating the case but have no leads, said Yim Socheat, Daun Penh district deputy police chief.
“According to our investigation on Street 55 in Chaktomuk commune, we have not found anything pointing to a suspect in the TNT explosion and have nobody to be a witness, because this case occurred early in the morning on Saturday,” Yim Socheat said.
Duong Bun was not available for comment Sunday, but a guard at the house said the doctor did not see the attack. Calls to listed numbers for Pheapimex at the Street 55 building, where “Pheapimex” is emblazoned on a small sign, went unanswered.
Pheapimex is involved in a controversial land concession deal involving the clearing of more than 300,000 acres of contested land for a controversial eucalyptus plantation in Pursat and Kompong Chhnang province.
Three protesters against the Pheapimex plantation were seriously injured by shrapnel and five others suffered minor injuries Nov 13 in Pursat province when a grenade exploded while they slept in hammocks in Ansa Chambok commune.
