New Horror Bus Smash In Cambodia

[Robroy]

The remains of a tourist bus sat in the middle of Highway 5 just south of Pursat yesterday - it had collided head-on with a fully laden truck.

This was a double-decker tourist bus, & it was smashed in to the first row of seats. Rumours are from 10 to 20 dead. I can well believe this, tho there is no confirmation of anything yet.

All reports I've heard (taxi drivers in Battambang, Pursat locals) are that this was (once again) a Paramount-Angkor Express bus.

This is the third major bus crash I've seen on Highway 5 between Battambang & Phnom Penh in a year - tho I have seen none of them reported in the media. The previous one, a few months ago, was a Sorya bus which had had a similarly horrific head-on, & had burned out entirely.

[crudy21]

I think the estimations have been exagerated a little here, there was indeed another horror bus crash in Cambodia at the weekend but from other reports it seems only the driver was killed.

[lekatai]

There have actually been three serious bus crashes in Cambodia over the past week.The one refered to in the OP was actually a Virak Buntham bus,the driver of the truck was killed and there were 7 others seriously injured.The two previous crashes both involved Paramount Angkor buses

[Robroy]

In my post (top) I hope I made ti clear that although I had seen the crash, the info on the death toll & company were local rumours at that point. And the previous poster is correct - there were indeed 7 injured & 1 killed.

Since my post, I have returned to Battambang from Phnom Penh - by taxi Tuesday.

En route I saw a double bus crash - one bus had rear-ended the other. Both were smashed up somewhat (smashed windscreens etc), & not going anywhere.

Tonight I went to see a friend in the Emergency Hospital in Battambang. He told me his new room-mate - admitted today - was an Italian woman who'd been injured in yet another bus smash, today, on Hwy 5. The woman is in shock so no details about deaths/injuries. But the bus apparently lost control during a rain downpour, & went off the road, & flipped onto its side at high speed.

That makes 4 bus smashes I have seen on Highway 5 in 4 days.

My NGO (Lom Orng) has now banned bus travel of any kind for our staff.

[ParadiseLost]

I must add my 2 satang worth; I travelled PoiPet-Battambang-PP early December and I must admit I was scared... Potholes were craters but at least then the bus had to slow down. All sorts of vehicles without lights, reflectors etc. appeared out of the darkness like ghosts, leaving the driver no choice but to swerve violently into the oncoming traffic. At one point we came upon a broken down truck halfway in our lane with guys sitting on the road removing or replacing parts - it was surreal!

I did not sleep a wink the entire trip and added at least 2 years to my age... I fly to PP on the 19th.