Phnom Penh municipal polices have launched number plate crackdown. Police
Phnom Penh municipal police have warned of tough action against owners of unregistered vehicles including cars, motorbikes and tricycles.
In an announcement issued on Friday, the municipal police said that starting October 21, the authorities will stop and impound all vehicles travelling on the road without a licence plate.
Some owners of unregistered vehicles, the announcement said, had either caused traffic accidents or committed unlawful acts and escaped
unpunished as police could not identify the owner of such unregistered vehicles.
“To maintain public order, road safety and security, the authorities will strictly enforce the law and take action against owners of unregistered vehicles.
“Proper registration enables police to easily identify the owner of vehicles involved in traffic accidents and other crimes,” the announcement said.
Municipal police chief Sar Thet said the road safety department and the capital’s 14 district police stations will start searching for unregistered vehicles and retain them at the municipal traffic police department until all legal and tax papers are filed. The owner will be fined too.
“We didn’t announce an exact date for inspection . . . let’s just say we’ll start from now,” Thet told The Post.
Article 82 of the road traffic law carries a prison sentence of up to one month and a maximum fine of 800,000 riel ($200) for anyone caught using an unregistered vehicle or one without a licence plate.
Kong Ratanak, the acting director of the Institute for Road Safety, agreed that unregistered vehicles were a cause for security concern.
While applauding the municipal police’s move, he called for clear action plans in enforcing the law and tough measures against shops or dealers selling unregistered vehicles.
He said the number of unregistered vehicles travelling on the roads will not decrease if the shops selling them are allowed to operate across the Kingdom.
Ratanak pointed out that unregistered vehicles mostly belong to government officials who use police or Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) licence plates as a cover.
“Many officials from law enforcement institutions are known to use unregistered vehicles bearing an RCAF licence plate. Some of them are authorised to use the plate, but most use it without authorisation.
“Therefore, law enforcement must be implemented transparently, equally and without tolerance,” said Ratanak.
Ministry of Public Works and Transport secretary of state and spokesman Pal Chandara said as of this year, there has been 50,000 cars and 1,650,000 motorbikes officially registered in the capital.
“But we don’t know how many unregistered vehicles are being used on the roads in Phnom Penh,” he said.
