The Ministry of Public Works and Transport announced it would launch personalised number plates in a bid to modernise and make it easier for officials to manage the collection of revenue. Heng Chivoan
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport announced that motorists can apply for personalised number plates for their vehicles from Tuesday. It is launching the service in a bid to modernise number plates and to make it easier for officials to manage the collection of revenue.
Ministry secretary of state Pal Chandara said the number plates would be valid for life.
He said they would include the word “Cambodia” in Khmer script on top and in English at the bottom. The middle of the number plates will compose of not more than eight characters or digits in English.
The design of the plates was approved in the sub-decree on Registration and Issuance of Vehicle Identification Card and Number Plate signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on June 3, last year.
Chandara said the personalised number plates were introduced to boost revenue from vehicle registrations and that the fees would be set via an inter-ministerial prakas between the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
“It will also be easier for the management of vehicles and to identify vehicle owners in the event of an accident,” he said.
Thoem Chhay Hor, a villager from Stung Meanchey commune, said he was not tempted to buy a personalised license plate as it would probably be more affordable to the wealthy who drive luxury vehicles.
However, he supported the inclusion of a QR code, which would allow officials to ascertain the history of the vehicle and the name and address of its owner.
“The QR code can identify the vehicle owner and his address. It will also make it easier for the authorities to identify suspects when the driver commits an infraction,” Hor said.
Road Safety Institute director Kong Ratanak joined Chhay Hor in welcoming the modern plates but questioned their advantage if drivers do not register their vehicles at all or if the number plates are placed on different vehicles.
“We have to modernise it [number plates] but we have to ensure that all vehicles are registered because many vehicles are not registered properly and some have even been modified against technical standards,” he said.
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