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As usual, almost every bus companies except a few always take the advantages from some special occasion when heap of people going back home to see their family such as Chinese New Year, Khmer News Year, Phum Ben and Water Festival. Those bus companies always increase the price of ticket of every destinations from 2 dollar up to 3 dollar. The government always have said, please do not increase the price of the ticket, but none of these companies give a shit about it. Strangely, they didn't increases the price of ticket during election when many people went back home to vote.


The poster reads:

Announcement
Our company would like to inform every passengers that from 08 October 2015 till 15 October 2015. Our company will increase 2 dollar for our every destinations.

No it's not only in Cambodia that this happens. You try to book accommodation or air tickets during holidays in most countries and you will find the prices have gone up during those peak times. As a past business owner, I am also guilty of that crime .

Yeah I don't think its unreasonable to increase prices as demand goes up. In fact, I'd say it's basic economics. Why do you think hotel rates go up during the high season or major holidays?

every country in the world has high /low season prices with an increase over the holidays

i do understand about the basic of economic. However, for this case, a lot of people requested to the government to stop this from happening especially by factory workers whose salary is barely enough for the rest of the month. The thing is that the price of the gasoline is still the same.

Samouth wrote:i do understand about the basic of economic. However, for this case, a lot of people requested to the government to stop this from happening especially by factory workers whose salary is barely enough for the rest of the month.

The thing is that the price of the gasoline is still the same.

Gasoline is only a small part of the running costs. Companies probably have to pay higher wages just to keep workers at work and not go on holiday like everyone else. Imagine a situation where a bus breaks down between destinations and they have to call out a mechanic to do repairs. Would you expect him to do that on his miserable $150 monthly salary, when he should be on holiday in the village.

Come to think of it, but why do the price of bananas go up in the holiday season ? The price of gasoline to bring them to the markets is still the same .

Supply and demand. Even a socialist country like China has been unable to prevent this.

I agree with Samouth .. the rise in ticket prices during every holiday in Cambodia (and there are many) is especially greedy .. a rise of $2 is a huge percentage increase on the normal cost .. this is a big burden for the average Khmer ..

The fact that the government has tried to stop it (admittedly half-heartedly) indicates the normal level of greed has been exceeded ..

hanno wrote:Supply and demand. Even a socialist country like China has been unable to prevent this.

Well stated +++++++ ! Prices during Chinese NYs are insane, as is that annual mass migration. Even in the States, try buying a plane ticket around Thanksgiving or Christmas/NY. You'll be lucky to pay double.

its a pain, but growing up in the west its common practice, in england travel tickets and hotels will bump up their prices if there is a big concert or festival happening in or near that city etc it happens all the time

i went to kampong cham province with my khmer friends for the khmer new year, taxis and busses were quite dramatically high priced, i do feel for the locals though as it leaves them very short changed with their salaries that they earn