Transport minister Sun Chanthol speaks at a press conference held at the Council of Ministers on October 27. Heng Chivoan
In the first six months of this year, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport sold 19,766 personalised and special vehicle number plates, generating revenues of 42 billion riel, or just over $10 million, in total, bolstering its budget for work on projects like drafting its proposed amendments to the road traffic law.
Minister Sun Chanthol revealed the figures at a press conference on the ministry’s achievements of the past five years, held at the Council of Ministers on October 27.
Chanthol said that since the opening up of registrations for personalised plates via an automated system on January 7, 2020, through the end of June this year, the inter-ministerial committee tasked with managing the process has sold 12,278 plates, raking in nearly $22 million.
"In the first six months of this year, the ministry sold 3,271 personalised plates for [$5.55 million] and 16,495 special plates for 19 billion riel [$4.59 million],” he said.
The ministry has also opened heavy truck driver's training centres; launched a pilot system for driving licence point deduction and records of transitional fines for traffic law violations via mobile apps; and distributed 300 POS machines in collaboration with the National Police for taking traffic offenders' fine payments.
Since the launch of registrations for personalised plates, the ministry has cooperated with the National Police to spot the use of forged documents on National Road 1.
It has also installed five public charging kiosks for electric vehicles (EV) – one on the ministry’s premises and four at different locations in the capital and provinces, courtesy of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Other achievements the minister highlighted include the completion of revisions to the sub-decree on speed limits for vehicles; distribution of 100,000 helmets and 3.6 million reflective stickers to motorists; donation of 3,000 road barriers and five speed-trap cameras to the National Police; and the completion of a feasibility study on a metro in the capital by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).
The ministry has also expanded its public service centres to supermarkets in the capital and provinces, increased spot checks and inspections on overloaded vehicles at improved weight stations and constructed more weigh stations with upgraded technology along major roads.
The minister concluded that the ministry has also been expanding the function and scope of the Road Care Mobile App so that it can be better used to report and respond to traffic accidents.
