Local passenger bus owners recently complained about unfair competition from foreign buses with registration plates from Laos and Cambodia. During busy days, there were eight to ten foreign buses carrying tourists from HCM City to Lam Dong. According to the local bus owners, the fares are cheaper by half because the foreign buses do not have to pay taxes and fees while the local owners have to pay VND1.7m (USD73) to VND2.3m per month per vehicle in addition to the road maintenance fee and other charges. The traffic police said they had fined three buses from Laos and Cambodia VND4m (USD172) each and ordered them to leave Vietnam as they stay in Vietnam past the allowed time limit. Vehicles from Vietnam and Laos can stay in each other's territories for a maximum of 30 days according to Laos-Vietnam Cross-border Transport Permit. As of January 18, they have fined a total of six buses from Cambodia and Laos. Most of them stayed in Vietnam over the regulated time, failed to obey … [Read more...] about Foreign passenger buses fined for breaking rules
