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Introducing Aranya Prathet
The dusty border town of Aranya Prathet (aka Aran) has long been a magnet for refugees fleeing the turbulent chapters of Cambodia’s roller-coaster 20th century. Displaced Cambodians flooded into the area after the Khmer Rouge takeover of 1975 and the subsequent Vietnamese invasion of 1979. Random skirmishes between Khmer Rouge guerrillas and the Phnom Penh government continued until 1998, but now the area is safe and is the most used border crossing for trips between Thailand and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
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A crackdown on gambling in Phnom Penh has caused a glut of casinos to be built in Poipet. Most cater to Thais from Bangkok, and the contrast between visiting Thais and poor Khmers pushing rudimentary handcarts is startling.
Parts of this area are still heavily mined – do not stray from marked roads and paths.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
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