Easy English news

Travellers to destinations in Cambodia now have some cheaper, more convenient options. The first buses directly connecting Thailand and Cambodia left Bangkok on Thursday, headed for Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

Please join us on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/bangkokpostlearning

The first group of passengers is on board and ready for the 11-hour journey to Phnom Penh. PORNPROM SATRABHAYA

Click button to listen to Bus and rightclick to download

Bangkok-Cambodia buses launched

Travellers to destinations in Cambodia now have some cheaper, more convenient options.

The first buses directly connecting Thailand and Cambodia left Bangkok on Thursday, headed for Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, with the launch of a regular service to bolster tourism and economic ties between the two countries.

The first air-conditioned bus from Bangkok to Phnom Penh left Mor Chit terminal, followed by the first bus to Siem Reap, the Transport Co announced.

The state company made a test-run on the two routes on Dec 29, 2012, but the service was not launched because "Cambodia was not ready for it", Transport Co managing director Wutthichart Kalayanamitr said in a statement.

The two countries are now running a daily service between the two destinations.

Drivers are ready to for the trip from Bangkok to Phnom Penh officially launched on Thursday. PORNPROM SATRABHAYA

The bus to Phnom Penh leaves the Thai capital at 8.15am and the return trip is at 7am. The fare is 900 baht, or US$30. The 719 kilometre trip takes 11 hours.

The Siem Reap line departs Bangkok at 9am and the return service leaves the Cambodian town at 8am. Siem Reap is the home of two major tourist attractions, Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. The fare is 750 baht, or US$25, for the 424km trip, which takes seven hours.

The two routes enter Cambodia through Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo.

Transport Co also runs a service to Vientiane, the Lao capital, and Pak Se in southern Laos.

Adapted from a story in today's Bangkok Post by Saritdet Marukatat.

on board – on a vehicle, aship, aircraft, etc. บนหรือใน (รถ, เรือ,เครื่องบินหรือพาหนะอื่น)
journey – travelling from one place to another, especially when they are far apart  การเดินทาง
launch – to start something เปิดโครงการ, เริ่มต้น, เริ่มทำ
destination – the place where someone or something is going  จุดหมายปลายทาง
convenient – easy to do, or not causing problems or difficulties สะดวก
option – a choice; something that you can choose in a particular situation ทางเลือก
bolster – to make something stronger or more effective ทำให้เข้มแข็ง
ties – relations; connections ความสัมพันธ์
terminal – a large building at an airport, train or bus station where passengers arrive and leave อาคารผู้โดยสาร
state – government รัฐบาล
route – the roads used to go from one place to another เส้นทาง
fare – the money that you pay for a journey ค่าโดยสาร
depart – to leave ออกจาก
tourist attraction – somewhere or something tourists can visit that is interesting or enjoyable แหล่งท่องเที่ยว
capital – the most important town or city of a country, usually where the central government operates from  เมืองหลวง

Related search: Bus service, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Siam Reap