Right-hand Drive Vehicles banned in Cambodia

Starting on 1 January 2001, a new transportation law becomes effective with a ban on right-hand drive cars and vehicles. Over 20,000 vehicles being registered with Transport Ministry are right-hand drive. Any right-hand drive vehicles found to run on the street will be confiscated, and turned into the state property if no claim from the owners for a period of time. The law has not been strictly enforced as there has been a sublime protest from several car owners as well as the taxi driver. This ban of right-hand drive car is an attempt of Cambodian and Thai sides to crack down on an increasing number of smuggled cars, pickups and vans from Thailand. Every years thousands of vehicles in Thailand are stolen and believed to be smuggled by land to the neighboring countries like Laos and Cambodia. In Thailand, the vehicles are right-hand drive.
Several car owners in Cambodia find that it is too costly for them to change the steering wheel and column from right to left as the price ranges from 25,000 Baht to 80,000 Baht, while the general income of the Cambodians is low.