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The road from Poipet, just across the Thai-Cambodian border from Aranyaprathet, to Siem Reap is rugged and bumpy all the way. Routes 5 and 6 are their official destinations but Thai tour operators have dubbed the course to them "the road to hell". It takes a 4WD at least eight hours to cover this 150-kilometre route.

But it's exactly that ruggedness that attracts a regular stream of 4WD caravans from Thailand because at a bonus is waiting at the end of the road: the world-famous Angkor Wat complex.

The town of Siem Reap is undergoing a tourism boom. A number of hotels are under construction, funded by money from Thai investors. New pubs and bars are springing up.

"Thailand is much more civilised than Cambodia. A bumpy road like this no longer exists in your country,'' a young Cambodian man told a group of Thai tourists whose SUVs were being temporarily held up by the collapse of a bridge.

After the bridge was fixed, an hour later, the Thai off-roaders sped across the bridge, leaving a line of local vehicles choking in the swirling dust thrown up in their wake. "Overtake them. Don't let them stay ahead of us,'' a convoy member barked into his walkie-talkie, instructing the other drivers in the caravan. "If we get stuck behind them, we'll waste time.''

Somsak Burapapipat, an executive with Panorama Adventure Co Ltd, who has organised almost 20 off-road caravans to Cambodia and Laos over the past three years, says most of his clients are business people travelling with family members and colleagues. Many of those on the jaunt to Siem Reap had joined an earlier overland trip to Laos. One, a retired teacher from Prachaup Khiri Khan province, said these caravans were an excellent "test'' of his mettle; he was planning a self-drive adventure tour to Tibet.

Overland excursions to Cambodia have become a popular alternative for Thai holidaymakers in the last seven years.

Most cross over to Cambodia via the checkpoint at Poipet and then drive straight to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat and a fishing community at Tonle Sap. Some caravans, however, have reportedly exited Thailand through Sa-ngam pass in Si Sa Ket province, which has been upgraded to an official checkpoint. Being a good deal rougher than the road from Poipet, the latter route is more of a challenge for off-road enthusiasts and adventure tourists.

A joint Thai-Cambodian plan for tourism promotion has been in operation for some time now, with special attention paid to developing the so-called Emerald Triangle, the area where the frontiers of Thailand, Cambodia and Laos meet.

Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand signed an agreement in early November 2004 to promote a package called the 'Pilgrim Tour', which includes visits to ancient cities and temples in the four countries. Although there has been no great influx of "pilgrims" as yet, improvements in transport and tourism infrastructure are already beginning to have an impact on some Cambodians.

Van, a Thai-speaking Cambodian guide, conceded that tourism has brought jobs and money but also made the locals' life more difficult. "We have to buy things at tourist prices. Basic commodities like drinking water and food are now more expensive in Siem Reap than in other provinces,'' said Van, himself born in Siem Reap.

"Villagers are also being tempted to sell their land to foreign businessmen to make some quick money. Many paddy fields have been replaced by hotels and places of entertainment. I'm missing the tranquillity of my hometown," he rued.

Reliable statistics show that Cambodia's visa-on-arrival policy has made it the region's fastest growing tourism destination. In 2002, it had the highest surge in visitor arrivals of any nation in South-east Asia: up 30 percent from the year before, to 790,000 people. About 8,000 Thai tourists visited Cambodia in 2002, the latest year for which statistics are available.

Asked about Thai caravan-style tourism, Virak, another local guide, said it would be better if 4WD enthusiasts parked their vehicles at their hotels and took a coach around Siem Reap and out to Angkor Wat. "Some of our really old temples have limited (parking) space, so a long caravan can cause chaos. The vehicles can also disturb other tourists, most of whom prefer exploring the temple complex quietly (on foot).''

Virak also revealed that many of his compatriots were unhappy with Thai tourists who often could be heard making disparaging remarks about Cambodia and its people. "We understand the Thai language and it makes us very uncomfortable to hear Thai tourists insulting our country. Some, for example, like to claim that Angkor Wat actually belongs to Thailand and they openly look with disdain on our way of life.''

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