licence plates should be obtained directly through the municipal Department of Public Works & Transport (DPWT)
- From: Chim <ChimS1@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:26:54 -0800 (PST)
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2008121023136/National-news/Crackdown-spurs-licence-brokers.html
Crackdown spurs licence brokers
Written by Chhay Channyda
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Middlemen offering to speed licence plate applications are reaping the
benefits of the city's new road laws, but officials say they are
scamming customers with fake plates and high prices
AN impending crackdown on vehicle tags by municipal traffic
authorities has led to a surge in business for private licence plate
brokers, but officials say that the middlemen are operating illegally
and licence plates should be obtained directly through the municipal
Department of Public Works & Transport (DPWT).
From January 2009, City Hall will start issuing fines for allmotorbike riders lacking number plates, side mirrors and helmets. As
motorists race to get their vehicles in conformity with the new road
laws, business is surging for a string of private brokers who operate
outside the office of the municipal Transport Department.
Customers in need of licence plates told the Post they were angry with
the high price of the brokers, who charge extra for their speedy
service, but said they had no choice.
"If we go do it by ourselves, we need to wait one month and pay US$20.
If we allow the broker to do it, it takes only a half day, but we need
to pay $30 or $35," said Doch Vanaroth, a student at the National
University of Management.
He said that to apply for a licence, motorists needed to visit the
Post and Telecommunications Department and the Customs Department to
confirm they have paid their motorbike tax. He was annoyed, he added,
that the only other option was to pay exorbitant rates to a broker.
"I am very angry with licence plate staff who use their position to
ask for money," Doch Vanaroth said.
Phay Srey, a licence plate and driver's licence broker, said the money
she gets from clients does not all go into her own pockets, but is
instead needed to speed up the process.
"It leaves me with only $10," she said. "When I am doing business for
my clients, [I get] all the documents and I do everything for them.
They only need to go into the office to take a photo and then wait for
the licence plates."
Fake plates
But To Sochanthy, chief of the motorcycle authority at the Transport
Department, said brokers outside his office were not helping people at
all.
"People get tricked by the brokers saying that they have to pay
between $30 and $35," he said. "In fact, they only help to write a
few words on a document and for that they get $30. Sometimes they can
get the licence plate fast because the broker gives fake plates that
look similar to our originals."
He said the department was powerless to take action against the
brokers but would arrest them if they approached people in the
office.
"People should stop getting tricked by brokers because they have no
right to enter our staff office," he said, adding that people should
contact staff that are wearing official identification around their
necks.
"We cannot penalise [the brokers] because they are outside our
department, so I can only report them to authorities," he said.
Some 77,077 new licence plates were issued from January to November,
according to the department.
.
- Prev by Date: UN legal expert opens talks on Khmer Rouge tribunal with officials
- Next by Date: villagers in Ratanakkiri province held a protest, claiming they were denied access to their crops by soldiers, and called on provincial authorities to intervene
- Previous by thread: UN legal expert opens talks on Khmer Rouge tribunal with officials
- Next by thread: villagers in Ratanakkiri province held a protest, claiming they were denied access to their crops by soldiers, and called on provincial authorities to intervene
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
