PHNOM Penh authorities have booked 52 auto-rickshaw drivers who modified their vehicles, including installing bass woofer speakers and flashing lights, to attract more customers.

The authorities removed these “extra attractions” and returned the now normal auto-rickshaws back to the owners who had to sign a contract not to repeat the offence.

Phnom Penh Municipal Police spokesman Colonel San Sok Seiha said yesterday the auto-rickshaw drivers had modified and decorated their vehicles “like a disco” to attract passengers.

“We need to curb them from doing that because the loud sounds emanating from their vehicles are disturbing national and international tourists in the capital city.

“We started taking action on March 17 and this is the first step of action being taken against them in which authorities are going around educating the drivers not to make such illegal modifications. Those who are caught are merely asked to sign contracts but next time they will be fined by police,” Col Sok Seiha said.

Daun Penh District Police Chief, Colonel Teang Chansa, said yesterday residents had complained that the loud noise from auto-rickshaws fitted with bass woofer speakers were disturbing them.

“We caught 25 auto-rickshaws in Daun Penh district which were modified with lights and bass speakers. Not only the blaring sound from the speakers but also the glaring lights used to decorate the vehicles are distracting other road users and this could cause traffic accidents,” Col Chansa said.

Prampi Makara District Police Chief colonel Neth Sithon said 27 auto-rickshaw drivers had been booked and signed contracts with authorities that they would not modify their vehicles again.

“Authorities educated them about the bad effects their decorations had on other drivers before releasing them and their vehicles,” Col Sithon added.

Meanwhile, Chamkar Mon District Police Chief Colonel Yin San yesterday declined to provide information, while the other 11 district police chiefs in Phnom Penh claimed that they didn’t find any auto-rickshaw drivers who illegally modified their vehicles.

With gaily customised auto-rickshaws becoming a feature of Phnom Penh’s busy streets, Governor Khuong Sreng ordered a crackdown on such vehicles equipped with incorrect lighting, inappropriate signage and loudspeakers.

Following Sreng’s instruction, Lieutenant General Sar Thet, Chief of Phnom Penh Municipal Police, ordered police in all 14 districts to stop all types of vehicles that are equipped with the wrong lighting technology or have inappropriate decorations.

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