PHNOM PENH, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen announced Thursday that the government will provide free bus services from here to provinces during the week of Khmer New Year.

"From April 12 to April 18, the Phnom Penh Municipality will use 120 city buses to ferry our people from capital Phnom Penh to provinces and from provinces to capital Phnom Penh free-of-charge," he said in a speech during an annual dinner with some 4,000 athletes and coaches here.

All people also can ride public buses for free in Phnom Penh during the same period, he said.

Many of the city buses, which will be at service for passengers in the upcoming Khmer New Year, were donated by the Chinese government in July 2017.

Hun Sen said the buses will be deployed on eight national roads connecting Phnom Penh and all provinces.

According to the prime minister, the move was to prevent private bus companies and taxi drivers from raising fees during the holiday period.

"I hope that people will be happy to travel with our free buses during the New Year," he said.

The Khmer New Year will last from April 14 to April 16. During the holiday period, hundreds of thousands of migrant workers will leave Phnom Penh for their home provinces for New Year celebrations with their family members.