Cambodia to act on acid attacks

Cambodia is drawing up new laws to combat acid attacks.

Such attacks have commonly been used by women to take revenge in cases of marital infidelity.

The victim usually survives, but is severely disfigured.

Under the new proposals, which should become law next month, offenders will receive between five and 10 years in jail.

Human rights groups have welcomed the law but have questioned whether it will be enforced.

There have been 43 attacks within the past three years and, so far, no-one has been convicted.

The most notorious case occurred in 1999 when the wife and bodyguards of a senior government official poured litres of acid on the face of the man's lover, an 18-year-old actress.