PHNOM PENH: The Royal Government of Cambodia has decided to allow existing right-hand drive car owners in Cambodia to register and pay their taxes and duties until 31 December 2022.

According to an announcement released by the General Department of Customs and Excise on Thursday, 13 October 2022, if owners of right-hand drive vehicles still have not paid their taxes by the 31 December deadline, customs authorities will be forced to confiscate or dismantle said vehicles into spare parts under the laws and regulations in force without further extension.

The General Department of Customs and Excise has reminded all owners of right-hand drive vehicles to hurry and pay their taxes and duties if they have not already, in order to avoid facing a crackdown and having their vehicles seized by the competent customs officials.

The Director General of the General Department of Customs and Excise, Kun Nhim, said during a press conference on the results of the tax collection in Cambodia on 5 October that the department had requested the Royal Government to extend the deadline for tax payment, which was previously set for 8 October 2022.

According to Director General Kun Nhim, the department made this proposal to the Royal Government because it could understand the hardships faced by right-hand drive car owners who lose business during the rainy season.

"It is the rainy season, as we all know, and land construction is declining, businesses cannot help to pay off taxes," he said.

The General Department of Customs and Excise particularly noted on this matter because most of the right-hand drive vehicles in Cambodia are trucks, including trucks which transport soil, gravel, and sand, for construction.

During a meeting with the delegation of the ASEAN Para Games on 6 July 2022, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced his decision to allow existing right-hand drive vehicles in Cambodia to remain as they are, and not have to change their steering direction to the left-hand side. However, he stressed that all right-hand drive vehicle owners must still go and pay their taxes. Separately, the Prime Minister clarified that any newly imported right-hand drive vehicles will be confiscated.