Police and military police have confiscated 31 handguns and 159 illegal vehicle registration plates the first five-days of a pre-Asean Summit security sweep of Phnom Penh, city officials said Wednesday.
Launched Friday night, the security operation has targeted weapons carried by civilians and off-duty government officials, as well as vehicles sporting military license plates.
To ensure security is air-tight during the forthcoming summit, vehicles using the hallmark red-and-blue colored military plates will be stopped and their plates removed by police, said Vong Pisen, Phnom Penh Military Police commander.
“The Municipal Military Police have cracked down on chaotic military vehicle plates and people carrying weapons because we need to protect the security of Phnom Penh,” Vong Pisen said.
According to Vong Pisen, military registration plates are not valid on city streets and must be replaced with ordinary plates.
Many of the handguns confiscated were taken from members of Cambodia’s police and military who did not have official permission to be carrying them, he said.
“The chaotic armed forces carry pistols, though they have no right to hold them. Also, we cannot permit people who take the military number plates for their vehicles,” Vong Pisen said.
Chev Hak, deputy chief of road accident investigations at the municipality, welcomed the removal of the military registration plates, saying it will provide a little more justice for road accident victims.
“We’ve had difficulty with military-registered vehicles,” he said. “If the drivers crash, they always speed away to escape into their military base, or they call their colleagues who protect them.”
Security has become a government priority as the summit, scheduled for Nov 4 and Nov 5 in Phnom Penh, nears and fears mount of more attacks in Southeast Asia, following the car-bombing Saturday night in Bali that killed at least 181, mostly foreign tourists , and wounded hundreds.
National Police Director-General Hok Lundy said Tuesday that security at hotels, bars and restaurant will be stepped up in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap town, the two most-popular spots in Cambodia for foreigners
Meanwhile, Thai authorities announced on Tuesday that security had been increased at tourist sites as a result of the Bali bombing, Agence France-Presse reported.
Thai police said surveillance had been increased in Bangkok’s inner-city hotels and shopping districts, as well as the Khao San Road backpacker area.
The northern city of Chiang Mai and popular beach resorts like Pattaya, Hua Hin and Krabi and the islands of Samui and Phuket will also be under a security watch.
