New Thai-Cambodian bus services launched

BANGKOK, December 14 (TNA) - Thailand and neighbouring Cambodia have agreed to launch two new routes of cross-border bus services, starting from December 29, 2012. The agreement was signed in Bangkok Friday between Wuthichart Kalayanamitr, President of Thailand’s Transport Company Limited and an executive of Nattakan (Cambodia) Company. Under the agreement, the Thai and Cambodian transport companies will operate the new cross-border bus services, including the 424-kilometre Bangkok-Aranyaprathet-Poipet-Siem Reap and the 719-kilometre Bangkok-Aranyaprathet-Poipet-Phnom Penh routes, with the first taking passengers about 750 baht or 25 US dollars per 7-hour trip and the second about 900 baht or 30 US dollars per 11-hour trip. Wuthichart said that both sides will operate two trips daily, with at least 40,000-50,000 passengers foreseen to use the two new cross-border bus services in the first year, after they are inaugurated on December 29, 2012. According to the Thai Transport Company president, his government-run firm will launch more cross-border bus services to Cambodia next year, when the cross-border bus routes between the two neighbouring countries will, thus, be increased to six. (TNA)