A total of 143 vehicles exceeding the permissible weight by 20 per cent were fined and impounded from November 16, 2020, to July 1 of this year, according to a report by the Secretariat of the National Transit and Transport Coordinating Committee released on July 3.

The overloaded trucks were stopped for inspection and retained by joint forces and Ministry of Public Works and Transport task force in provinces and points of origin in Battambang and mobile weighing stations throughout the country, the report said.

Public works minister Sun Chanthol said the ministry would take legal action against people that continue to overload vehicles without any exception.

“The ministry continues to implement this measure, regardless of the vehicle type or the owner, because overloaded vehicles damage roads,” he said.

Chanthol called on all road users to respect the law and take care of state property as the government has worked hard to raise funds for road maintenance. “Please do not overload vehicles as this damages roads, causes traffic accidents and do not speed,” he said.

The ministry reminded all owners of cement factories, quarries, sand depots, transport companies, truck owners and drivers that the ministry will continue to strictly apply the law concerning overloaded vehicles.