New $6m terminal opens in Poipet in bid to boost tourism, Anybody seen it? Options

[HWinPP]

Friday, 08 January 2010 15:01 Soeun Say

POIPET’S new US$6.5 million International Passenger Terminal opened for business this week and could bolster the Kingdom’s tourist industry, its director told the Post Thursday.

The 3,000-square-metre building – containing five restaurants, a money exchange and an office and built beside National Road 5, about 8 kilometres from the Poipet border checkpoint with Thailand in Banteay Meanchey province, was officially opened on Monday.

Travellers will be charged $1 to enter the terminal, from where they can arrange visas and catch taxis and buses.

It has been built with government approval to relieve pressure from the bustling nearby checkpoint, which sees around 5,000 people cross per day.

Va Chhouda, managing director of Sou Ching Investment Co Ltd, the company that built the centre, said Thursday it was necessary to build an international-standard terminal near the border.

“Tourists get stuck at the noisy border every day. But we want to attract tourists to come to stay in Cambodia for a long time.
“This is why we have created a place where we can provide good services to them,” he said.

Travellers can be picked up by bus from the checkpoint to visit the terminal, which has its own parking and space for 1,000 customers.

It is hoped the centre will safeguard tourists from being exploited by border scams, such as taxi drivers taking them to the wrong place.

Ho Vandy, co-chairman of the government’s Private Sector Forum tourism working group, said Thursday that the creation of a high-standard tourist facility at the border was a good move. He wants the company to ensure a high quality of service to attract more tourists to Cambodia.

“The company must provide a good service to tourists at reasonable prices,” he said.

According to a report released by police at Poipet, last year 323,705 people crossed the land border, compared with 276,349 in 2008.

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[gorshar]

a money exchange

Can't wait to see the rates.

Travellers will be charged $1 to enter the terminal

Can anybody think of any other transport depot on the planet you have to pay to enter? And what if the tourist says 'no'?

from where they can arrange visas

Visa to where? You're already in Cambodia.

It has been built with government approval to relieve pressure from the bustling nearby checkpoint,

How? You still have to pass through the border immigration posts.

Sou Ching Investment Co Ltd, the company that built the centre

Trouble ahead. Will they ever pay their contractors? Salaries? Security? They already lost use of the terminal once for non-payment and this company has a known track record for non-payment.

It is hoped the centre will safeguard tourists from being exploited by border scams,

Unlikely seeing as they are 8 km from the border.

such as taxi drivers taking them to the wrong place.

Rare these days.

said Thursday that the creation of a high-standard tourist facility at the border was a good move. He wants the company to ensure a high quality of service to attract more tourists to Cambodia.

Tourists can already get this from the existing terminal. But if they really wanted to improve services they would one, remove all the touts official and unofficial. Two, allow companies like Mekong Express to run scheduled bus services instead of the present tourist-only services that leave when full and dump the tourists at a guesthouse. Three, not restrict foreigners to higher priced tourist-only taxis but allow sharing with Cambodians if they want. But then they couldn't make money, which is much of what this about.

[HWinPP]

Agree on all points, G!

Has anybody been there and seen it?

[MrCurious]

Agree on all points, G!

Has anybody been there and seen it?

i sure SHOULD have seen it, MIGHT have. As far as I'm concerned if it don't have LARGE, clear and well placed signage, it's USELESS. Plus as Gordon says, it's not AT THE BORDER. This is just stupid. The border COULD be tidied up some for sure. I mean why run us thru so many buildings/stops? oh yeah, more chances to extract money I guess. They'll never get it. I ain't holding my breath.

[HWinPP]

Have a look and take some pics if you see it, MC.

It's going to be some time before I get back to the northwest.