4 people die in Cambodia in Lunar New Year gift crush

The crowd had gathered at a local tycoon’s home to receive Lunar New Year red envelopes filled with money

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A crowd gathers at the mansion of Cambodian tycoon Sok Kong to receive red envelopes filled with money ahead of the Lunar New Year, in Phnom Penh. Photo: AFP/Fresh News

Published: 4:59pm, 23 Jan 2025Updated: 5:01pm, 23 Jan 2025

At least four people were crushed and suffocated to death on Thursday in Cambodia after a large crowd gathered at a local tycoon’s home to receive Lunar New Year red envelopes filled with money, police said.

Pictures and footage shared by local media show hundreds of people pushing towards the vast gates of a mansion belonging to Sok Kong – a close ally of former Cambodian leader Hun Sen – in downtown Phnom Penh.

“This morning tycoon Sok Kong gave out gifts and a lot of people came to his home, hoping to receive one,” Sam Vicheka, a spokesman for Phnom Penh police, told AFP.

Health workers carry a person into an ambulance after a crowd pushed towards the mansion gates of Cambodian tycoon Sok Kong to receive red envelopes filled with money. Photo: AFP/Fresh News

“Some elderly people with health problems fell down as they pushed to get a gift, and so far four people – two men and two women – died,” he said.

Another five people were receiving treatment at hospital, he added.

Sok Kong, who made his fortune in petrol and built up an entertainment and hospitality empire, is one of Cambodia’s wealthiest people.

Local media reported that the Phnom Penh governor and Sok Kong had promised to give a total of 15 million riel (US$3,700) to the family of each person who had died, and around US$1,000 will be given to each injured person.