THE Ministry of Economy and Finance has announced that the annual collection of road taxes begins today and will run for the next three months.

"The finance ministry announces for all vehicle owners that the tax collection on the means of transportation for all kinds of vehicles will begin on July 15 and run to October 15," stated the announcement, which was signed by Minister Keat Chhon.

Cheap Davuth, the deputy director general at the general department of taxation, said the tax applies to any and all means of motorised transport, be they motorcycles, cars or even ships.

"If the owners fail to pay the tax during the set period they will be fined. That fine is double the amount of the applicable road tax fee for their vehicle," he said.

The announcement also lists a number of exclusions from the tax.

These include ambulances and fire trucks; vehicles belonging to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, the military police and the police; any vehicles used for national defence or security; and diplomatic or consular vehicles.

Vehicles of international organisations and those belonging to the government's technical cooperation agencies are also excluded.

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport estimated in a report last year that there are 197,800 registered cars and 671,000 registered motorcycles in the Kingdom.