Transport Minister Sun Chanthol said yesterday that there are about 150,000 cars on Cambodia’s roads without valid road safety certificates, and called on vehicle owners to schedule safety checks on his ministry’s website or risk being fined by police.

Speaking at the opening of a new car inspection centre in Sen Sok district’s Phnom Penh Thmey commune, Chanthol said many owners may not be aware of when their cars are due for tests, so the ministry would also start sending them text messages a month before expiry.

“We have to provide better services to the public with quality and transparency,” he said. “To the 150,000 car owners whose car inspection certificates have expired and have not yet gone for inspections, I appeal to them to take their cars for inspection.”

About 500,000 cars are registered in the country, he added, and all could be scheduled for checks online so the owners did not have to turn up to centres and wait for staff.

“I call on people to use the online system to make appointments for the date and time for your inspection,” he said. “You don’t need to wait in a queue.”