LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity
 
Ministry of Public Works and Transport No. 9393/MPWT
Vientiane capital, dated 13 April 2023
 
Decision on the Permission of the Maximum Total Weight of Truck
 
• Pursuant to Law on Land Transport No.24/NA, dated 24 December 2012.
• Pursuant to Law on Land Traffic No.23/NA, dated 12 December 2012.
• Pursuant to Law on Main Road No.03/NA, dated 8 November 2016.
• Pursuant to Decree on the Organization and Implementation of Ministry of Public Works and Transport No.677/PM, dated 21 December 2021.
• Pursuant to the Request Letter of Road Department No.17597/RD, dated 10 November 2022.
 
 
Minister issued the Decision:
 
Category
                                             General Provision
Article 1. Purpose 
     This Decision defines principles, rules and measures which are related to the maximum total weight of truck, which are commuting on the national road in order to ensure the capacity of each typ of national roads in each season. To preserve the roads for longer used, reduce the maintenance cost of roads as well as reduce the accident to develop national social-economic.
Article 2. Maximum Total Weight of Truck
    The maximum total weight of truck is the weight of empty truck plus the weight of loading which is approved to commute on each type of national road in Lao PDR.
Article 3. The Scope of Use
     This Decision is used for individual, legal entity and organization who is operating transportation business, loading heavy which are transported on each type of national road in Lao PDR.
Category 2
Maximum Total Weight of Truck
Article 4. Types of Truck
There are 3 types of trucks which are permitted as below:
1. Rigid truck
2. Semi-trailer
3. Trailer
Article 5. Maximum Total Weight of Rigid Truck
      Rigid truck is a truck which is not separated. There are eight types of maximum total weight of rigid truck which are allowed as below:
No Type of Truck Photo of each type Maximum Total Weight which is allowed (Kilogram)
Rigid truck
8.2 Tons 9.1 Tons 11 Tons
1 2 axles 4 wheels 8.500 9.500 9.500
2 2 axles 6 wheels 12.000 14.100 15.000
3 3 axles 6 wheels 15.300 16.000 17.000
4 3 axles 10 wheels 21.000 23.200 25.000
5 3 axles 6 wheels 10.500 13.500 13.500
6 3 axles 8 wheels 14.000 17.500 17.500
7 4 axles 8 wheels 18.800 20.000 22.500
8 4 axles 12 wheels 25.200 27.200 29.500
 
Article 6. Maximum Total Weight of Semi-Trailer
      Semi-trailer is a truck which has the head truck as a wheel drive and trailer for loading. There are five types of maximum total weight of semi-trailer which are allowed as below:
No Type of Truck Photo of each type Maximum Total Weight which is allowed
(Kilogram)
Semi-Trailer
8.2 Tons 9.1 Tons 11 Tons
1 3 axles 10 wheels 21.100 23.200 26.000
2 4 axles 14 wheels 30.100 32.200 36.000
3 4 axles 14 wheels 28.400 32.300 35.000
4 5 axles 18 wheels 37.400 41.400 45.000
5 6 axles 22 wheels 41.400 49.600 49.600
 
Article 7. Maximum Total Weight of Trailer
      Trailer is a vehicle which is not wheel derived by itself and must use the head truck to drive. There are five types of maximum total weight of trailer which are allowed as below:
No Type of Truck Photo of each type Maximum Total Weight which is allowed
(Kilogram)
Trailer
8.2 Tons 9.1 Tons 11 Tons
1 2 axles 4 wheels 13.600 14.000 14.000
2 2 axles 6 wheels 15.900 16.100 18.000
3 2 axles 8 wheels 18.200 18.000 22.000
4 3 axles 12 wheels 25.500 27.300 31.000
5 4 axles 16 wheels 32.800 36.400 44.000
 
Article 8. Maximum Total Weight Reduced According to Some Technical Conditions of Truck
 Truck which has a couple wheels, in case one wheel is taken or broken, shall reduce the weight of axles and maximum total weight by calculating the weight as single wheel.
Article 9. Maximum Total Weight of Truck for Military and Public Security Sector
The weight of axle and maximum total weight of truck for military and public security sector which is used to commute on national road shall be complied to the regulations as prescribed on Article 5,6 and 7 of this Decision, except the emergency case.
Article 10. Special Transportation
Special transportation which the weight and size, width, height, length is over as defined on Article 14 cargo which cannot be separated shall be obtained the permit from Ministry of public works and transport.
Article 11. Maximum Total Weight of National Road which can accept 11 Tons/axle
The national road which can accept 11 tons/axle as below:
National road No.9 (Friendship bridge II, Savannakhet-Dansavanh), national road No.3 (Friendship bridge IV, Houay Xaiy-Boten), national road No.4 (Friendship bridge II, Kean Thao, Xayyabouly-Xieng Nguen junction).
Category 3
Seasonal Period for Carrying Maximum Total Weight 
Article 12. Maximum Total Weight of Truck during Dry Season
Maximum total weight of truck which is allowed to commute on each type of national road during dry season start from 1 November to 31 May.
Article 13. Maximum Total Weight of Truck during Raining Season
Maximum total weight of truck which is allowed to commute on road paved with soil and gravel shall be reduced 20% start from 1 June to 31 October.
Category 4
Size of Truck and the Implementation of Traffic Rules by Truck Drivers 
Article 14. Size, Width, Height, Length of Truck
Truck is allowed to commute on each type of national road shall have size as below:
1. Width is not over 2,50 meters.
2. Height is not over 4,50 meters.
3. Length of Rigid truck is not over 12,20 meters.
4. Length of Semi-truck is not over 21,03 meters.
5. Length of trailer is not over 19,00 meters.
Article 15. The Implementation of Traffic Rules by Truck Driver 
Truck driver who commutes via each type of national road shall be strictly complied to Decree on Land traffic rule No.615/GOV, dated 9 December 2020 (Explained) such as banner of weight limitation (bridge and road) and banner of weight station.
 
Category 5
Weight Inspection and Over Weight Loading Penalty
Article 16. Weight Inspection
All trucks which commute on each type of national road shall pass the in section at the weight station or shall be inspected by weight inspection task force committee which is assigned at each type of national road.
Article 17. Issuance of Weight Inspection Certificate
After passing the weight inspection, the authority at the weight station or weight inspection task force unit shall issue the certificate of truck which is passed the inspection as a proof.
Article 18. Weight Inspect Task Force Unit
Weight inspection task force unit is a section which will random to inspect the target trucks on national road once seeing the truck is loading cargo over the weight which is permitted.
Article 19. Penalty of Over Weight Truck Loading
The penalty of over-weight truck loading, the authority at the weight station or weight inspection task force unit shall calculate the penalty rate in accordance with regulations of Ministry of Public works and transportation.
The truck owner shall take responsibility for discharging the cargo which is over-weight from truck.
Category 6
Prohibition
Article 20. General Prohibition
Prohibit individual, legal entity and organisation to perform as below:
1. Claim to be as the authority of weight inspection station.
2. Drive the truck which is over-weight enter to each type of national road.
3. Be hired to the over-weight transportation.
4. Resist, not facilitate, not incorporate for weight inspection by the authority at the weight station.
5. Perform other behaviours which against laws and regulations.
Article 21. Prohibition for Truck Driver
       Truck driver shall not perform as below:
1. Drive the over-weight truck enter to each type of national road without passing the weight inspection station or does not have the certificate of weight inspection.
2. Does not enter to inspect the weight of truck.
3. Load over the technical standard as defined.
4. Give tips to the authority at the weight station.
5. Perform other behaviours which against laws and regulations.
Article 22. Prohibition for Transportation Provider
      Transportation provider shall not perform as below:
1. Allow other people to rent the business license, transfer business license to others or use business license of other people.
2. Operate the business which is invalid to the type of business which is permitted, does not have the permit license or the license is expired.
3. Does not provide the complete documents, corporate and give tips to the authority and government officer who is assigned at the weight station to facilitate the business.
4. Does not corporate, hide, copy, distort the information of the volume of transportation to the authority and relevant agencies including the authority at the weight station.
5. Perform other behaviours which against laws and regulations.
Article 23. Prohibition for the Authority Unit at the Weight Station
The Authority unit at the weight station shall not perform as below:
1. Issue the certificate of weight inspection which is not according to the standard or not physically inspection.
2. Corporate, request, receive tips, take a role over limit, hold on, copy the documents which is related to the weight of truck, use the work position to gain the benefits to itself, family and team.
3. Disclose the confidentially official information.
4. Perform other behaviours which against laws and regulations.
Category 7
The Management and Inspection of Maximum Total Weight of Truck
 
Article 24. The Organisation of Maximum Total Weight Management of Truck
Ministry of public works and transport takes responsibility to manage the maximum total weight of truck as centralise and unity across the country. The department of roads is directly responsible to coordinate with the relevant agencies in order to manage this task in accordance with its own responsibilities.
The weight inspection organisation includes:
1. Roads department.
2. Department of public works and transport in provincial and Vientiane capital.
3. Office of public works and transport in district, suburb, capital.
Article 25. The Rights and Duties of Roads Department
Roads department has the rights and duties as below:
1. Coordinate with the relevant agencies in order to manage, monitor, inspect and encourage the implementation of managing weight of truck to be consistent to the laws and regulations.
2. Research, establish, improve the mechanisms and regulations of weight management to be gradual modernisation.
3. Establish, revise the roles of the authority at the weight station to be transparency, fair and can be investigated. Create the plan for capacity building for technical use, maintenance and fix the weight system in each period.
4. Prepare the budget plan for managing, constructing, repairing the weight station across the country.
5. Directly manage the weight station on the national road.
6. Take the rights and other duties as assigned.
Article 26. The Rights and Duties of Department of Public Works and Transport in Provincial and Vientiane Capital
Department of public works and transport in provincial and Vientiane capital has the rights and duties as below:
1. Organise the task force unit of weight inspection by using the moving scale as agreed by department of roads.
2. Assign the officers who are qualified, educated, capacity to the inspection task force unit and unit at the weight station.
3. Manage the equipment which is used for task force inspection to be ready for use and not lost.
4. Take the penalty and manage the penalty fee.
5. Collect the data, summarise and report the implementation of weight management to ministry of public works and transport, governer organisation in province as regularly.
6. Disseminate and train the transportation providers in order to comply to laws and regulations of truck management.
7. Take the rights and other duties as assigned.
Article 27. The Rights and Duties of the Office of Public Works and Transport in District, Suburb, Capital.
The office of public works and transport in district, suburb, capital has the rights and duties as below:
1. Assign the officers who are qualified, educated, capacity to the inspection task force unit and unit at the weight station.
2. Manage the equipment which is used for task force inspection to be ready for use and not lost.
3. Collect the data, summarise and report the implementation of weight management to the governor organisation and department of public works and transport in province as regularly.
4. Disseminate and train the transportation provider in order to comply to laws and regulations of truck management.
5. Take the rights and other duties as assigned.
Article 28. Content of Inspection
The inspection of maximum total weight of truck shall has the content as below:
1. Implement the policy, role, scope of right and duty of the unit at the weight station.
2. Technical standard of maximum total weight of truck inspection.
3. Impact to each type of national road due to the heavy truck.
Article 29. The Form of Inspection
The inspection has three methods as below:
1. Regular inspection which is the inspection according to the regular plan and has the specific timeline.
2. The inspection which is informed in advance, this inspection is not under the plan in case which is necessary, so this needs to inform a person who will be examined in advance.
3. Immediately inspection is the urgent examination without informing a person who will be examined in advance.
The inspection shall be strictly implemented in accordance with laws.
Category 8
Policies to Outstanding Individuals and Measures to violators
Article 30: Policies to Outstanding Individuals
    Individual, legal entity or organizations that have outstanding performance in order to manage the weight of truck efficiently will be praised and obtain other policies as appropriate.
Article 31: Measures to Violators
    Individual, legal entity or organization who violate this Decision shall to be educated, warned, punished, suspended, terminated the permits which are related to transportation. The vehicle which is used for criminal will be seized, fined, paid for civil compensation or in light or severe case in accordance with the regulations.
The authority who cooperates to break a law shall be educated, punished according to the official regulation and be prosecuted according to laws.
Category VIII
Final Provisions
Article 32: Implementation
Assigned to department of roads as a main in order to implement this Decision to be effective and efficiency.
     Office, departments, institutions, units, department of public works and transport in provincial, capital, office of public works and transport in district, suburb, capital, the unit at the weight station and relevant agencies shall acknowledge and cooperate in order to implement this Decision.
Article 32: Effectiveness
 This Decision shall be effective form the date of signature and publish on Lao official gazette.
 
Minister 
Ngarmpasong Muengmany
 
 
 
 
 
 
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