Came across this Trip Advisor thread warning people about Virak Buntham travel co. It is TA, so I usually take these travel "warnings" with a grain of salt - there are some extremely stupid people out there.
However, this last post was talking about a direct robbery from a bus. Stories about how late the buses left, how they broke down in the middle of the night, or minor hassles at the border don't impress me; but, if true, this is apparently an example of organized theft by employees?
I don't want to falsely accuse anyone, so I've posed this as a question - seriously, has anyone else heard that this/these bus companies are now stealing luggage ?And why ? Really not good for business.
Personally, I've used VB before - and was not impressed, but nothing worse than the usual. So, i'm just interested if anyone has something to add...
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic- ... l#68474681

31. Re: WARNING - Virak-Buntham Express Travel & Tour
today, 8:14
Thank you for the post. We wish we read your post before we booked our tickets with VIRAK BUNTHAM. We got so robbed! We booked tickets at the Garden Village Hostel from Siem Reap to Shinaoukville. In the middle of the night with everyone sleeping the staff opened the bottom luggage hold when stopping in Phnom Penh and cleaned out our bags. They stuffed bus blankets in to the bags in the hope that we would only discover the theft after we had left the bus. The two bus drivers turned from well spoken Cambodians to aggressive criminals who had completely stopped speaking English the moment we discovered the theft. Initially they refused to take us to the VIRAK BUNTHAM office in Shinoukville, but we refused to leave the bus. It turned out the bus had to go to the office anyway. We found very little help from the VIRAK BUNTHAM management or the police. The police refused to take a statement and only wanted a list of what was stolen. Mr Odam from the immigration police told me he doesn't believe the theft occurred. Be warned. From other accounts and our experience the company has a well run theft syndicate operating above the law. One girl posted she found her iPhone in the company offices after she activated the FIND YOUR PHONE APP.

Don't use VIRAK BUNTHAM and ask your accomodation not to sell their tickets.

After rereading their post, I also wonder how they "knew" what happened with the luggage in PP, why they didn't go see what was happening at the time ...

this is just another one of those stories to take with a pinch of salt, ive used VB busses hundreds of times, while the service is pretty basic and used more by khmer than backpackers (who go for the more expensive GOLD or VIP busses) when the bus gets to PP when traveling in either direction, ive done both directions many times, the bus stops in PP and half the baggage gets taken off because half of the bus passengers get off to either most commonly 1. stay in PP or 2. transfer to a bus to Vietnam, more people bags get put on along with cargo and boxes that people have paid to be sent also gets put in the luggage, these people going to SHV, their luggage would have most likely got taken off in PP by mistake and left on the side of the road, i can imagine the only reason why everyone blanked these people when they couldnt find their luggage is the same if you challenge any khmer in a simular way, they do it to save face and make out your an idiot, probably not wanting to admit to their mistake of losing their baggage in PP, but stolen, i doubt it, most people traveling via VB dont have expensive luggage, nothing worth stealing, if youve got expensive luggage you can surely afford to get a taxi/flight rather than getting a $15 nightbus!

I think your version is probably right Jamie. A f'k up with the luggage and an attempt at saving face sounds more like it. Incompetence rather than crime. (And definitely not organized. Lol.)

And be warned backpackers etc, when you take a nightbus in Cambodia, you risk more than losing your luggage. Those things are dangerous.

We take the night bus but book two seats each and keep our luggage with us.

thsts bullshit cambos dont steal luggage.

viets on the other jand

Username Taken wrote:^^ Sailorman will be along soon to tell you about the highway to hell.

Haha. I would agree with him, and there's no way I'd do that road at night.
Last time I arrived somewhere after dark in a minivan, the headlights didn't work - they kept fading on us. The buses aren't really better. When you see how much "traffic" - not to mention animals - on the road at night has no form of light it's beyond scary. Then there is the problem that the driver is probably used to being asleep by 10pm, and so will probably be taking something to stay awake. This may also give him the impression that he is invincible (and that there is no way he will cede to the guy who is coming head on in your general direction while he is overtaking a petroltanker around a blind corner.)
Frankly its bad enough in the daytime.

Anchor Moy wrote:

Username Taken wrote:^^ Sailorman will be along soon to tell you about the highway to hell.

Haha. I would agree with him, and there's no way I'd do that road at night.
Last time I arrived somewhere after dark in a minivan, the headlights didn't work - they kept fading on us. The buses aren't really better. When you see how much "traffic" - not to mention animals - on the road at night has no form of light it's beyond scary. Then there is the problem that the driver is probably used to being asleep by 10pm, and so will probably be taking something to stay awake. This may also give him the impression that he is invincible (and that there is no way he will cede to the guy who is coming head on in your general direction while he is overtaking a petroltanker around a blind corner.)
Frankly its bad enough in the daytime.

yeah i drove from SHV to Kampot in the dark on my moto, never again! the amount do khmers that drive without their lights in the dark, the amount of dogs and animals running around, but i would say the worst thing was the amount of fucking insects!!! fucking everywhere!! driving through swarms of crickets n shit, wouldnt have been bad if i had a helmet with a visor on it but i didnt, driving in the dark added an extra hour to my trip, never again haha

Jamie_Lambo wrote:

Anchor Moy wrote:

Username Taken wrote:^^ Sailorman will be along soon to tell you about the highway to hell.

Haha. I would agree with him, and there's no way I'd do that road at night.
Last time I arrived somewhere after dark in a minivan, the headlights didn't work - they kept fading on us. The buses aren't really better. When you see how much "traffic" - not to mention animals - on the road at night has no form of light it's beyond scary. Then there is the problem that the driver is probably used to being asleep by 10pm, and so will probably be taking something to stay awake. This may also give him the impression that he is invincible (and that there is no way he will cede to the guy who is coming head on in your general direction while he is overtaking a petroltanker around a blind corner.)
Frankly its bad enough in the daytime.

yeah i drove from SHV to Kampot in the dark on my moto, never again! the amount do khmers that drive without their lights in the dark, the amount of dogs and animals running around, but i would say the worst thing was the amount of fucking insects!!! fucking everywhere!! driving through swarms of crickets n shit, wouldnt have been bad if i had a helmet with a visor on it but i didnt, driving in the dark added an extra hour to my trip, never again haha

I left from Kampot going back to SHV too late 6 months ago.
I already was cursing at myself about it when It became dark and I never reached destination. A drunken fallen Cambodian on a moppet occupying most of the road after a curve took care of it.
Broken shoulder and shattered upper arm still reminds me about it.