Organized luggage theft from Cambodian buses ?
Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 10:10 pm
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
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
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 ...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.