Chasing Cars Cambodian Style, 20 November 2007

• With law enforcement high on the agenda at least in the Cambodian newspapers, it's good to see other countries improving their safety records. According to the Bangkok Post (no link) a law was passed last week banning the use of mobile phones by drivers while their vehicles are moving. Though novel in Thailand, the new traffic law in Cambodia already bans this. Surprisingly if you're driving a motorcycle with a computer modem between your legs and an old-fashioned monitor under one arm, this is perfectly legal. The same in Thailand. The same Thailand also reported how an army helicopter was (mis-)used to pick up mushrooms for the pilots mother!

• How to get Cambodians to wear helmets? A ceremony. That's what happened in Battambang province according to Khmer News.com. This approach tactic already seems to be working:

  'In 2007, about 1,693 victims was suffered from traffic accidents in Battambang province, among them 5 people was dead. It is decreased [!] if compared to last year’s statistic'.

• More happy people over at the Department of Land Transport. More than 30,000 students have taken driving lessons since the beginning of September. The number of licenses issued has skyrocketed to 7,894; that bearing in mind that the total number of motor drivers with license was 2,085 if the count starts in January 1990!

• Boat racing is here and tuk-tuks are out! Out of the city center according to city officials, not that it really mattered, from late afternoon onwards you can only walk. Four million visitors are expected.