Poipet (Khmer: ប៉ោយប៉ែត [paojpaet]) is a city on the Cambodian-Thai border, in Poipet Municipality, Banteay Meanchey Province. It is a key crossing point between the two countries, and also extremely popular as a gambling destination as gambling is popular, but mostly illegal in Thailand.
Poipet
ប៉ោយប៉ែត | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Poipet Location of Poipet, Cambodia | |
| Coordinates: 13°39′N 102°34′E / 13.650°N 102.567°E | |
| Country |  Cambodia |
| Province | Banteay Meanchey |
| Municipality | Poipet |
| Population (2019)[1] | |
• Total | 98,934 |
| • Density | 3,614/km2 (9,360/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+07:00 (ICT) |
| Poipet | |
|---|---|
| Khmer name | |
| Khmer | ប៉ោយប៉ែត UNGEGN: Paôypêt GD: Paoypaet ALA-LC: P″oip″aet IPA: [paojpaet] |
Poipet is adjacent to the town of Aranyaprathet on the Thai side of the border. The town came into existence only quite recently for the express purpose of border trade; Sisophon had always been the primary urban center in what had been an agricultural area. Poipet's population has increased from 43,366 in the 1998 census to 89,549 in the 2008 census, making it the fourth most populous settlement in Cambodia just ahead of Sihanoukville and larger than its provincial capital Sisophon.[2] During the Pol Pot Era , Poipet was the first place in Cambodia for International Relief Organisations, to support the nearby Thai Border Camps. UN staff were able to freely cross the Border. In the years since 2008, Poipet has continued to boom both as a large Town but as a key gateway from and to Thailand.
Transport
editThe Poipet border is a terminus of the Cambodia railway system, though in 2006 restoring of a link from Poipet to the present Cambodian Railways railhead at Sisophon was proposed. In the fall of 2008, an agreement was prepared to have an Australian company carry out this work.[3] In 2009, Thailand passed legislation to extend the railway from Aranyaprathet to Poipet, and in 2018 the railway line has been reactivated.
On 22 December 2022, Prime Minister Hun Sen said that the government has been conducting studies on high-speed railways connecting domestically and to neighbouring countries. “We are conducting studies on high-speed railways connecting Phnom Penh to Preah Sihanouk province and to the border with Thailand.”[4]
Demography
editPoipet is a city famous for its gambling and casino center in Cambodia. This attracts many foreigners to come here. The largest number of foreigners here are Indonesians, most of whom work in casinos and as online gambling admins. Indonesian restaurants and food stalls are easy to find here.[5][6] Then also Chinese (8,000 people) and Thai citizens can be found here.[7]
Casinos in the city
editThere is a strip of casinos and hotels between the Cambodian and Thai passport control counters, enabling Thais and other foreigners to gamble in Cambodia without needing to go through Cambodian immigration. In Cambodia, gambling is illegal for Cambodian citizens but not for holders of foreign passports. There is another border on the Cambodian side of this strip area that one needs to pass before being free to travel within the rest of the country.
On 28 December 2022, a fire at the Grand Diamond City Hotel and Casino killed 27 people and injured dozens of others.[8]
Gallery
edit-
Poipet border crossing into Cambodia -
Poipet during sunset -
Casino and street scape
References
edit- ^ "General Population Census of the Kingdom of Cambodia 2019 – Final Results" (PDF). National Institute of Statistics. Ministry of Planning. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "Cambodia: Provinces, Districts, Cities, Communes, City Districts - Population Statistics in Maps and Charts". www.citypopulation.de.
- ^ Ailing railway set for upgrade. The Phnom Penh Post, Wednesday, 29 October 2008.
- ^ Chea Vanyuth (23 December 2022). "Cambodia on track for high-speed railway". Khmer Times.
- ^ "Briefs: Indonesians Rescued From Poipet, Cross-Border Data Cables Found". vodenglish.news. VOD. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Hidayat, Andy Riza; Febriane, Sarie, eds. (14 December 2023). "The Success of Migrants Behind the Rumors about Cambodia". kompas.id. Kompas. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ "More Chinese punters flock to Poipet". bangkokpost.com. Bangkok Post. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Sinith, Heng; Cheang, Sopheng (December 30, 2022). "26 bodies found as search ends at Cambodian hotel fire site". ABC News. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
