Cross-border travel: Thailand and Cambodia relaunch bus services

For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the brakes, Thailand and Cambodia are set to resume their cross-border bus services, reconnecting Bangkok with Phnom Penh and Siem Reap this Friday, November 29. After more than three years of halted operations, travellers can once again hop on board for a seamless journey between these iconic destinations.

The announcement came after an agreement was signed today, November 26, between Atthawit Rakchamroon, Acting Managing Director of Thailand’s Transport Co., and Suo Vireak, CEO of Vireak Buntham Express Co., Cambodia’s leading bus operator. The two companies have teamed up to offer services on two key routes, both passing through the Aranyaprathet checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province.

The routes will reconnect Thailand and Cambodia’s capitals, Bangkok and Phnom Penh, as well as Bangkok and the tourist hotspot Siem Reap, famed for its Angkor Wat temple complex. Atthawit Rakchamroon highlighted the significance of the reopening, saying it will “promote tourism in both countries as Thailand and Cambodia have entered high season.”

The Bangkok-Phnom Penh route departs daily at 7am from each city, with an 11-hour journey costing 900 baht. For a faster trip, the Bangkok-Siem Reap service departs at 8am and 9am from each location, taking seven hours and costing 750 baht.

With the pandemic in the rear-view mirror, both countries aim to revive tourism, and this bus service promises to be a game-changer. Travellers can once again explore the rich cultural ties between these Southeast Asian neighbours, with a safe, efficient, and affordable transport option ready to roll, reported Bangkok Post.

In related news, reports of alleged confrontations between Thai and Cambodian soldiers on Koh Kut have been dismissed by the government as fake news. Despite the rumours, government agencies maintain that the tourism situation on the island remains positive, with visitor numbers surpassing those of previous years, according to Jirayu Houngsub, an adviser to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.