The Phnom Penh City Governor, Kep Chutema, has imposed load limits on remorque-motors

(motorcycles pulling long trailers) and banned them from four central city districts.

The vehicles are banned from Prampi Makara, Daun Penh, Chamkar Mon and Tuol Kok districts.

Remorques may now carry a maximum of six people, or up to 400 kilograms including

goods. The long trailers are commonly used for transporting up to 28 garment factory

workers at a time.

Chutema said overloaded remorques often caused traffic jams and accidents. The announcement

implements a traffic law ratified on August 31, 1991 by the State Council.

An official working for the Department of Public Works and Transportation (who asked

not to be identified) said the law didn't state the permitted size of a remorque,

only the load limit.

Yan Yun, 37, a remorque taxi driver at Chruoy Changvar bridge, said big trucks are

a greater cause of traffic jams and accidents.

" I have driven a remorque for many years without causing any problems. It depends

on the driver, not on how much the remorque loads."

He earns from 5,000 to 10,000 riel a day and is repaying a 500,000 riel loan to buy

his vehicle.

Mom Eak, 26, carries workers from Evergreen Garments along national road 5, 25 to

28 customers at a time, two rides a day, for which they pay $3 a month each.

Eak said if the city allows a remorque to take only six customers it will create

traffic jams because more vehicles will be required to transport the same number

of people and prices will also rise.

The municipality has identified remorque parking areas for pickup and setdown points.