Jump to content
Guest Kenny

Traveling via Bamboo Railcar in Cambodia

Recommended Posts

Guest Kenny

From Core77.com

Tuesday 30th October 2012

By Hipstomp

Cambodia has one railway line, laid down by the French during their colonial occupation. The antiquated tracks are no longer safe for trains to run on, and as a result, there aren't any.

 

The locals, however, aren't about to let a potentially useful piece of infrastructure go to waste. In the area near the western Cambodian towns of Battambang and Poipet, the locals produce what are known as norry: Lightweight, powered railcars built from a wooden frame, bamboo slats, and steel wheels from decommissioned tanks. Two men can get the thing on or off the tracks in less than a minute.

 

Photos and Videos Here

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Mastermind

This has got to be a fantastic way to travel to get some great photos.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Parrothead

I am going to try to head up to Battambang around the end of November, for a week or so. I want to see about taking a ride on the bamboo train out of Battambang.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
phuketrichard

the train does not go into Batt, u need take a tuk tuk or motor to where it is. I thought about it but never went for it,

something about travelling at a slow speed 8" off the ground didn't appeal to me.

 

A week is about 4 days to long :-)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Parrothead

Well, we are going to be sourcing groceries and other things we will need to live up there. I want to see what Battambang offers, in the way of groceries, shopping, public market, etc.

 

From what websites have on them, Battambang is supposedly the second largest city in Cambodia? If that is correct, I figure there is a lot more of it for us to see, upon this next trip.

 

Man, there is tons of work to do - solar, generator sourcing, LPG refrigerator and a deep freezer, tower, water tanks and pump. Man, there is a LOT to do.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
phuketrichard

good luck;

There is ONE Chinese run small grocery store across the street from the main market. and thats it for western food, everything anyone uses that runs resorts has to be gotten from PP.

 

Market is typical Cambodia market an prices are about 10% higher than Phnom Penh

 

I found one small mini mart,

 

Are u seriously planning on moving there? A few bars, LOTS of NGO's, NO girl bars,

 

Heres an idea for ya, Open a commercial laundry, there is nothing for hotels and resorts in the city.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
seaman

 

LOTS of NGO's, NO girl bars,

 

 

OMG worst possible combination. Why the f*ck are there many NGOs there?

 

seaman

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Parrothead
seaman[/color]' timestamp='1351847198' post='6401']Why the f*ck are there many NGOs there?

 

I have no clue. But, most are as useless as tits on a bull.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
phuketrichard

Lots of poverty up there an many ngo funded projects going on .

 

One positive;

your only 2 hours from Thailand

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Parrothead
phuketrichard[/color]' timestamp='1351908836' post='6422']Lots of poverty up there an many ngo funded projects going on .

 

I wonder how many are genuine...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • If you would like to join to begin posting and become an active member, feel free to click on THIS LINK, to register. If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the Forum Operations / Issues forum. If you register, but then are unable to log in, please feel free to post concerns in the Having Problems Logging In? forum. We will address any and all questions, comments, or concerns, as quickly as possible. Welcome to the Living In Cambodia Forums! 

    Welcome to the forum!

  • Similar Content

    • Parrothead
      By Parrothead
      Battambang is the capital city of Battambang Province. The province is located in Northwestern Cambodia, a bit North and West, of the main body of the Tonle Sap Lake. The population is estimated to be approximately 151,000 people, throughout the entire province. The city has banks along the Sangkae River, a slow flowing, peaceful river, for much of the year. During rainy season, though, I have personally witnessed this river filled to the point of almost overflowing its banks, and its contents moving along fairly rapidly.
       
      If you are planning a trip to Battambang, here are a few things that may be of interest to you, during your visit to our fair city:
       
      1. Bamboo Train - If you are already familiar with the Bamboo Train in Battambang, you may know it was relocated to Phnom Banan (about 20 miles outside the city) at the first of this year (2018), due to the refurbishing of the tracks at the former location (O'Dambong Village). They are refurbishing tracks throughout the entire country, to allow both passenger and freight trains to run again. If you are here for a visit, definitely put the Bamboo Train on your "to-do's" list.
       
       
      2. Wat Banan - While out having a ride on the Bamboo Train, you may wish to stop and visit Wat Banan. Wat Banan was a prototype for the much more well known, Angkor Wat, which is located in Siem Reap. Make sure you carry your tennis shoes (runners, gym shoes) along with you, though. You will have over 300 steps to climb, in order to reach the hill where the temple is located. Feelin' energetic, are we? Oh, along with proper footwear, please make sure to take an ample water supply. You do not want to become dehydrated, while on this adventure.
       
       
      3. Kamping Pouy - Kamping Pouy Bassin is mostly a picnic site for the residents of Battambang Province. It was designed to hold 110 million cubic meters of water, during the Khmer Rouge. The idea was to irrigate farmland in Battambang Province. 
       
      During its construction, I am told tens of thousands of Khmers lost their lives. This was, primarily, due to malnutrition, being overworked, diseases and mistreatment. Today, the vast majority of water of the bassin is used for agricultural irrigation. I believe you may also be able to rent a boat there, to explore the reservoir.
       

      4. Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus - Don’t miss out on Battambang’s #1 attraction: the Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus! The performers in the big top of the Battambang circus are students in our 6 years professional circus program. In the future, they have the opportunity to perform in Siem Reap and tour around the world.
       
      Each Battambang circus show includes a 10 minute traditional Cambodian dance performance by our students in the professional dance program. All circus music is performed live by students from our professional music program.
       
      The doors open at 6pm, and the shows start at 7pm. Tickets can be bought at the door, purchased ahead of time at many retailers in town, or to book tickets early, email: reservations@phareps.org.
       
      The proceeds from your ticket support our programs in many ways, such as salaries for the performers, funding the purchase of our circus equipment, and allowing us to provide entirely free artistic education in circus, dance, music, and theatre. Not to mention our visual art and educational programs. By visiting the circus, you are funding the next generation of Cambodian artists.
       
       
      Note: All text immediately above (Item #4) was taken directly from the https://phareps.org website.
       
      I will try to add more points of interest in and around Battambang, soon, for those of you who wish to visit this fair city. If you have any questions, and are not yet a member, feel free to register and post any questions or comments you may have.
       
       
    • TorJay
      By TorJay
      Battambang UXO blast kills farmer   Sat, 2 January 2016 Phak Seangly   A farmer was killed yesterday after driving his tractor over an anti-tank mine left over from the Kingdom’s civil war in Battambang’s Sampovloun district.
       
      Sao Veth, 28, was ploughing a cassava plantation in Tasdar commune when he hit the UXO about 9am.
       
      The detonation broke his right leg and critically injured his arm, head and chest, according to Ly Rum, Sampovloun’s deputy district police chief.
       
      “Veth was badly injured all over his body and was taken to the district hospital, but died on the way due to his wounds,†Rum said.
       
      “The tractor was blown into parts. It was anti-tank land mine that was buried during the war. More than 10 years he ploughed and planted cassava without incident and then this happens and kills him.â€
       
      The explosion also injured another farmer, Sun Sen, 27, who was looking for cassava near the tractor. Sen was admitted to the district hospital for treatment.
       
      Not at work, the hospital’s deputy director, Meas Maysak, was unable to comment on Sen’s condition.
       
      Contact author: Phak Seangly   Source:  http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/battambang-uxo-blast-kills-farmer
    • TorJay
      By TorJay
      A police officer questions locals next to a crater in Battambang province on Monday after a tractor hit a landmine in a rice paddy. Photo supplied   Mine kills one, injures two in Battambang   Wed, 25 November 2015 Kim Sarom   One villager was killed and two more were seriously injured while rice farming on Monday when their tractor rolled over a land mine in Battambang’s Bavel district.
       
      According to Oeum Tith, Bavel district police chief, the victims were returning from farming when the mine exploded, leaving the three badly injured and the tractor destroyed.
       
      Tith said that 32-year-old Khim Seiha died en route to a nearby private hospital. Tith identified the two injured victims as tractor owner Doung Tim Dara, 49, and farmer Ve Saroum, 27.
       
      Pring Panharith, an officer with the Cambodia Mine Action Centre’s (CMAC) provincial bureau, said that in Battambang province there are many undetonated landmines, which are mainly located in Bavel, Banan and Samlot districts.
       
      “We have cleared many landmines here and make the cleared lands available for use, but still there are deeply buried landmines,†he said.
       
      According to a September report from the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, Battambang has accounted for the highest portion of the Kingdom’s landmine casualties since January 2014, at nearly 27 per cent.
       
      Nevertheless, in Battambang – and nationally – the number of landmine casualties is significantly lower so far this year compared to 2014. Battambang suffered 39 casualties through September 2014, but just 24 in the same period this year.
       
      Source:  http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/mine-kills-one-injures-two-battambang
    • TorJay
      By TorJay
      A member of CMAC handles unexploded ordnance yesterday in Battambang after they were discovered on a construction site. Photo supplied
        American munitions found in Battambang
        Wed, 18 November 2015 Kim Sarom   Four types of US-made unexploded ordnance were unearthed by construction workers in Battambang town’s Chamkar Samrong commune yesterday, authorities said.
       
      Battambang town deputy police chief In Rotha said that the ordnance were buried under a plot of land belonging to 54-year-old Chamkar Samrong resident Seng Kemsuor, who upon finding the dangerous materials handed them over to the Cambodian Mine Action Centre.
       
      Pring Panharith, a CMAC official, said that the uncovered materials included 5 kilograms of M16 cartridges, six hand grenades, 29 M79 grenade launcher rounds and a claymore mine.
       
      According to Panharith, the ordnance – some of which was still usable – were buried just half a metre underground. CMAC will now impound and detonate the explosives. “At first they found only two ordnance, but when we dug deeper we found more of them,†he said.
       
      Panharith said he suspected they were left over from the civil war period before 1975, though his team had never found a similar haul.
       
      There were 85 mine- and UXO-related casualties in the first nine months of 2015, down nearly 40 per cent from 135 during the same period last year, according to the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority.
       
      Source:  http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/american-munitions-found-battambang
       
       
    • Parrothead
      By Parrothead
      Greetings: 
       
      To be honest, I'm not sure what the clinic is called now, on highway 5. Handa? Emergency? Whatever. Any Tuk-Tuk driver will be able to take you there, though, if / when needed. But, I can't recommend it enough. Well, I can't recommend Dr. Joost enough, for sure. 
       
      You see, last year, during my trip back to the US (first in over fifteen years), I contracted a blood clot in my lower left leg. Well, DVT, is what they actually called it. 
       
      During the vast majority of my time in the US, I was treated for DVT. I was given medication to bring back here, to continue taking until about three weeks after my arrival. I followed the orders of my physician in the US, to the letter. Apparently, that was not quite good enough, though. 
       
      I'm not laying the blame on anyone here, other than myself, for not being more diligent in making sure it was sorted prior to returning to Cambodia. (However, as some of you long timers abroad may appreciate, I wanted to return to my SE Asian "home" as soon as possible.) Anyway, from the time I returned to Battambang, and even after I had completed the Eliquis (pills) I had been prescribed in the US, the redness in my leg never went away. 
       
      About three weeks ago, my leg began hurting something serious, more than ever before, in fact. I felt I needed to do something - and soon. I had begun making plans to visit the Thai associated hospital in Siem Reap. Royal Anchor International Hospital, I believe it is called? I had heard they offer expats discounts on treatment, and were quite reputable. So, I began to explore that avenue. 
       
      I learned that a much needed ultrasound would cost me about $135 USD, at RAIH. Had I been a tourist, I was informed it would be $400. So, a considerable discount at that, apparently. However, prior to being able to plan my trip to Siem Reap, my leg began hurting even more. I decided to take immediate action and visit Handa, locally. 
       
      I knew Handa had Khmer doctors, and supposedly - foreign doctors. But, I had never seen any foreign staff there, in the past. Without trying to be too critical here, I have resided in country for over 3.5 years now and have not had the best experience with Khmer doctors, I'm afraid to say. Three previous times and three misdiagnosed issues, does not a comfortable patient make. Either way, I ultimately decided to head over to Handa.
       
      Long story short - yeah, I know. Too late. Sorry. 
       
      Anyway, I was initially seen by a Khmer doctor, a second year resident if I have that correct? The doctor seemed okay - but not exactly as though he was too switched on about DVT, which I was already pretty sure I had. 
       
      A few minutes later, a tall, older gentleman appeared in the doorway and introduced himself. We began talking. I gave him my history, and he inspected my leg. He began treating me that day. The good Doctor has, in fact, continued to treat me until this very day - and will continue to do so, I hope, until I am passed this issue.
       
      So, while I may not be completely back to my "old" self, yet, my leg is quite a bit better than it has been in the past - going on a year. If you need a doctor who knows what he is doing, and one who will make you feel very comfortable being his patient, I cannot recommend him enough. I hope those young Khmer doctors pay attention to what that man has to teach them. 
       
      I thank God above every day, for my being introduced to Doctor Joost.
       
      -- 
      Paul
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use & Guidelines. Here is our Privacy Policy.