Mon State authorities accepting bribes in exchange for motorbike licenses

September 15, 2008

By HURFOM:

Moulmein, Mon State

Authorities of Mon State’s Road Transport Administration Department (RTAD) are accepting bribes in exchange for licensing illegally imported motorcycles, report bike owners in Moulmein. Officers of RTAD, “Ka-Nya-Na” in Burmese, began accepting bribes at the start of September and, depending on the officer, are asking between 50,000 and 300,000 kyat.

Drivers caught at frequent checkpoints face heavy fines if their bikes are unlicensed. The bribe costs are significant, placing people who need to drive frequently, especially business owners and transportation workers, in a difficult catch-22. “The size of the license fee depends on how much the officers want. For my bike’s licenses, I arranged it through an agent and both license and agent fees cost 200,000 kyat. That’s my income for four months, but there is no choice,” said Ko Tun Oo, 35, a shopkeeper who works inside the Moulmein’s bus station.

Another source reported that the Moulmein RTAD office stopped issues licenses on September 9^th, forcing bike owners to seek licenses from township offices. Licenses from these offices are usually more expensive, says Thar Gyi, a technology student from Thaton Township studying in Moulmein. “One of my friends had to get his motorbike licenses Thaton Township, and it cost him about 250,000 kyat for the agent and license fees.” Other sources report the authorities in Chaung Zone Township also stopped issuing licenses after two weeks, while licenses are still available in Thaton and Ye Townships. The recent wave of licensing follows an earlier batch of licenses, issued in July 2008.

Most people purchase the licenses through agents with connections to RTAD. “People can try by themselves without the assistance of the agent, but they have to wait many days to get the licenses,” said the student, adding, “If they try by themselves, they cannot be sure the license will be issued. So people apply through the agents who have close relationships with the Road Transport Administration authority.”

“I think the authorities increased the cost of the motorbike licenses due to the large numbers of illegal bikes imported form neighboring countries like Thailand. Everyday, about 100 to 150 motorbikes cross the border from Mae Sot in Thailand into Karen State. The bikes cross the border by bribing Burmese army officers and ethnic armed forces,” reports source in Moulmein who wishes to remain anonymous. Illegally importing a bike at Three Pagoda Pass requires a bribe of at least 10,000 kyat, reports a source in Karen State, which is still cheaper than paying official taxes to the SPDC.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News