The Ministry of Public Works and Transport raised over 66 billion riel ($16.23 million) from the sale and registration of car licence plates last year, up six per cent from 2019.
Ministry spokesman Heang Sotheayuth told The Post on February 10 that 66.4277 billion riel had been collected from registrations across the country, including a significant portion from personalised plates.
He explained that regular vehicle licence plates consisted of an assignment of random numbers, but customisable plates could contain special arrangements of letters and numbers, including people’s names if they so desire. Vehicle owners interested in special plates can apply to register them online.
“This income from the public goes to support the national budget which will be used for building roads and other development projects according to government priorities,” Sotheayuth said, adding that despite the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, revenues were up and are expected to rise again this year.
“The ministry works to determine the needs of the public and facilitates meeting those needs. Normally, when people have increased economic resources, they will consider expenditures within their budgets, and will offer services corresponding to their interests,” he said.
At a year-end review and goal-setting meeting, ministry secretary of state Koy Sodany lauded implementation of the programme.
“Members of the inter-ministerial commission to manage sales for special and personalised number plates and members of the ministry’s two sub-commissions have made attentive efforts and have performed the task most responsibly,” she said.
