A secretary with the ministry, Ly Borin, said most of the tracks from Pursat up to Poipet had been renovated. He carried on with the explanation that 130kms of the line still needed refurbishing and this was mostly between Pursat and Phnom Penh.
This latter stretch of tracks was damaged during the civil war and Khmer Rouge era of the 1970s. Ly Borin said an estimated budget of US$20 million would be needed to finish the project. Once the funds have been approved, the repairs contracts will be put out to tender.
12GO ASIA explains that the last time trains from Phnom Penh to Poipet, Aranyaprathet and Thailand ran was after WWII. Services beyond Battambang were suspended by the ruling French government in 1946. Phnom Penh to Battambang trains were withdrawn in 2009 as the tracks were in such a bad state of repair.
Royal Railways started running trains between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville in 2016. The plan is to launch passenger services to Thailand once the line to Poipet is restored.
Cambodia claims Thailand rail link will launch in 2018
News in Asia
Cambodia’s transport-minister claims a rail connection to Thailand will definitely be inaugurated before the end of 2018. Sun Chanthol said the government would be expediting contracts for the repair and relaying of rail tracks between Phnom Penh and Poipet.