In the first six months of this year, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport sold 19,766 personalised number plates (Cambodia) and special number plates (capital-province) worth 40,641 billion riel – or more than $10 million – an increase of 25 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to a report by the inter-ministerial commission which manages the sales.

This year’s sales included include 3,271 personalised plates worth 21,365,407,000 riel, an increase of 18 per cent and 16,495 special number plates (capital-province) which earned 19,275,780,400 riel, an increase of 32 per cent compared to the same period in 2021.

Koy Sodany, ministry secretary of state and chairwoman of the commission, chaired a July 11 meeting on the commission’s progress.

The ministry said the meeting focused on the report on the work of two sub-committees. One handled pricing and sales or bidding and the other was formed to provide technical assistance. The commission also discussed ways to better manage sales and meet the needs of the public.

Sodany said from the 2016 establishment of car registration automation to the 2020 introduction of personalised number plates sales, the ministry’s operations had progressed positively.

“This development reflects the innovative ideas of the transport ministry in providing a wide range of public services under the leadership of Senior Minister and Minister of Public Works and Transport Sun Chanthol,” she said.

Sodany encouraged members of the commission to provide input on topic selection for the ministry’s upcoming July 28 live show, which was designed to educate the public about the special licence plates.

In the procedure, individuals or companies could search for their preferred plate and then make a purchase or bid via the ministry’ vehicle registration automatic system. The system also allows vehicle owners to apply for technical inspections and registration online.

The Minister of Economy and Finance and the Minister of Public Works and Transport on December 24, 2019 issued an inter-ministerial declaration on the sale of personalised number plates. This Prakas allowed the General Department of Road Transport of the transport ministry to collect revenue for the national budget.

A special plate has Phnom Penh or the name of the province issued in Khmer at the top and in Latin below, The number begins with one class digit, dependent on the type of vehicle, followed by one or two Latin letters and then four digits that can be specified.

A personalised plate has the word “Cambodia” at the top, with one to eight letters and numbers on the next line. It can contain virtually any arrangements of letters and numbers, including people’s names if they so desire.