Fri Nov 21 03:48:24 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a rewritten news article based on the provided text:
Summary:
A passenger bus traveling from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, crashed off a bridge into a river in Kampong Thom province on Thursday morning, November 20, 2025. At least 16 people were killed and two dozen injured. The preliminary investigation suggests the driver was drowsy after a nighttime departure. All passengers were Cambodian. Road accidents continue to be a significant problem in Cambodia, with over 1,000 fatalities already recorded in the first nine months of 2025.
News Article:
Cambodia Bus Crash Claims 16 Lives
Phnom Penh, Cambodia – November 21, 2025 – A tragic bus accident in central Cambodia has claimed the lives of at least 16 people and left two dozen others injured. The passenger bus, en route from Siem Reap, home of the iconic Angkor Wat temple complex, to the capital city of Phnom Penh, plunged off a bridge into a river early Thursday morning, November 20, 2025.
According to local police, the accident occurred in Kampong Thom province. After a complete search on Thursday night the deputy police chief, Siv Sovanna, told The Associated Press that the death toll had increased from 13 to 16.
A preliminary investigation indicates that the driver may have been drowsy after departing Siem Reap at night, for what should have been a five-and-a-half hour trip. The driver’s condition remains unknown. Approximately 40 passengers, all Cambodian nationals, were believed to be onboard the bus.
This latest incident highlights the ongoing issue of road safety in Cambodia. In 2024, traffic crashes resulted in over 1,500 fatalities, and more than 1,000 people have already been killed in similar incidents in the first nine months of 2025, according to data from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
First Piper 