Half measures

Squabbling Cambodian couple Moeun Rim and Nhanh, having have had enough of one another after 40 years of marriage, have literally taken the meaning of "half measures" to new heights.

They are in the midst of a divorce settlement but because Cambodian divorce cases normally take a long time, they decided to take action by dividing all their assets into halves.

First to go was their house. After a bitter feud during which they disagreed on who gets what, they agreed to saw their house in half. Moeun Rim's portion of the house was then removed from the site to an undisclosed location.

The house that remained - or at least, the one-half of the house that remained - is still located in Prey Veng province, about 90km (56 miles) from Phnom Penh. The land on which the half-house stands and which also is a part of the couple's property has also been split four ways with a part for each for them and a part each for their children.

It seemed that Moeun Rim claimed his wife had neglected him when he became ill recently and they started quarelling. It was a sad day when the couple could not reconcile. The local chief, Vorng Morn, said: "We tried to persuade them to think clearly because they had been married for 40 years but they did not listen. They agreed to split the house into two parts. The part that belongs to the husband has been removed but the one that belongs to the wife is standing upright there. She stays there during the daytime."