Cambodian PM pays fine for not wearing helmet

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Friday paid a fine to traffic police for not wearing a helmet during his motorcycle ride last week in southwestern Koh Kong province.

The prime minister, properly wore a helmet, drove a motorcycle from his house near the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh to a police station situated about 500 meters from his house on Friday morning to pay the fine.

According to a traffic ticket slip, dated on June 18, issued by First Lieutenant Sun Nem, traffic police officer in the province's Sre Ambel district, he had monitored a motorbike rider named Hun Sen who had violated article 6 of the traffic law and was fined 15,000 riel (3.75 U.S. dollars).

Speaking to the media after paying the bill, the prime minister said law does not pardon anyone who breaks it, even the prime minister and the lawmakers.

"(We) cannot use the rights of the prime minister or the parliamentary immunity to conceal the mistake we have committed," he said. "Respecting traffic law is respecting your lives and others' lives, so the law is enforced equally."

The fine came after the prime minister traveled to Koh Kong province on June 18 and he unexpectedly visited a motor-taxi driver on the road side and rode the motorcycle with the motorcycle's owner for fun for about 250 meters without wearing a helmet.

On Monday, the prime minister publicly apologized for his mistake after Facebook users mocked him for failing to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle. Endit