The Editor,

I am writing today because I am upset at the lack of concern which drivers have for

the traffic regulations. This morning (6 Oct) at 8:50am I was driving north on Monivong

Blvd. and had almost reached the intersection of Monivong and Achar Hencheay when

a white Toyota Corolla, license plate K8821PP2, traveling in the wrong lane came

at me expecting me to get out of its way.

I did not. I had to stop my motorbike since the car was upon me. I gestured to the

driver that he was completely in the wrong lane, traveling counter to the normal

flow of traffic and that he should return to the southbound lane, The driver simply

shrugged his shoulders and refused to move. The passenger in the back seat seemed

agitated. Pedestrians on the sidewalk stopped to watch the proceedings and the crowd

steadily grew.

Eventually, three traffic policemen from the nearby intersection arrived to see what

was holding up the traffic. In my not-so-fluent Khmer, I tried to explain the obvious:

a white car completely in the wrong lane trying to push normal traffic out of its

path! The officers patiently listened while I gesticulated and urged them to write

a traffic violation summons for the flagrant disrespect for the traffic laws.

I could see that the traffic policemen were quite subdued at seeing who the passenger

in the back seat of the white Corolla was. They eventually eased the offending car

through the on-coming traffic into its proper lane and I was about to leave when

they motioned me to the side of the road. They told me that they very much understood

the intention of my little demonstration, but that they were quite powerless to issue

a summons because the passenger of the car was Mr. Khieu Kanharith, Secretary of

State of the Ministry of Information. He, of all people, should really be better

informed!

My point is this: traffic laws are made for the general public including members

of the Royal Government and the military. When we use the public roads, we should

all respect the traffic regulations which are there to improve the flow of traffic

on our already over-crowded streets.

Leaders should lead and give good example. They should not take advantage of their

positions or their red/white license plates. Laws exist for all the Cambodian people,

not for just some of them. Let us all be more concerned in respecting the law so

that Cambodia and its people can be proud that it has laws which are observed in

fact and not only in fiction.

I respectfully suggest to Mr. Kanharith that he would do well to enroll his driver

in a driving school in order to learn the traffic regulations and not be the cause

of traffic jams in Phnom Penh.

- P La Ramee, Phnom Penh.