Drivers in vehicles bearing the distinctive red and blue “Khor Mor” RCAF license plates are likely to be asked to pull over if spotted by police.
An operation led by military police to confiscate expired Khor Mor license plates has led to the removal of 181 car plates and 24 motorbike plates since the crackdown was initiated Sept 1, officials said Sunday.
“We are looking for vehicles whose license plates have been invalid since 2004,” Mok Sovuthy, municipal military police operation commander said, adding that the plates were previously distributed to military personnel by the Ministry of Defense.
New license plates have been issued retiring the Khor Mor plates.
Mok Sovuthy said military police conducting the confiscation did not fine any of the drivers but “asked them in a peaceful way” to remove the plates.
“We ask the owners politely. They understand the law,” he said, adding that even high-ranking generals were being checked.
“Some say they are in a hurry to get to work so they promise to remove the license plates and we let them go,” he said.
Mam Peng, municipal military police deputy commander, said that the operation to seize the illegal plates will continue and that it was going “very well.”
According to local rights group Adhoc, the military license plates have also fallen into civilian use.
“When a person uses [the RCAF license plates], authorities like the police cannot check the car,” Chan Soveth, an investigator with Adhoc, said on Sunday.
“I am very happy with the police taking action. I believe that when a person breaks the law he should be punished,” Chan Soveth said.
Though some used the plates to evade justice, there was also a more obvious advantage from driving in what would appear to be a military vehicle—drivers were able to avoid paying road bribes or fines to the police, he added.
