The total number of registered vehicles in the Kingdom increased 15 per cent from 2013 to 2014 to 2.78 million, according to figures from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

Cambodia now has 2.35 million motorcycles, a 17 per cent year-on-year increase, and close to 429,000 cars, buses, and trucks, up 5 per cent.

Preap Chanvibol, director of the land transportation department at the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, said the increasing number of registrations reflected Cambodia’s better economic performance and improved road networks.

Nevertheless, the vast majority of vehicles in Cambodia are motorbikes, as they remain far cheaper than automobiles.

“Using individual transportation methods is still most popular for Cambodians,” said Chanvibol.

Chanvibol also said that buying cars and motorbikes was becoming increasingly affordable as more Cambodians pay through loan installments.

Dawin Ithan, co-owner of the Japanese Motorbike Shop in Phnom Penh, said that her business’ sales had increased substantially last year as “Cambodians are buying more motos because they are getting more income.”

Ithan added that Japanese bikes remained the most popular in Cambodia, although bikes from other Asian countries such as South Korea and China were becoming increasingly common.