Since the grant of vehicle registration numbers was computerized, people would think “brokers” for special registration numbers have “died”, but they still live very well with their service.
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A Bentley and a Mercedes in Dak Lak province with “nice” registration numbers. |
What is a special registration number?
Special registration numbers are easy-to-remember numbers. Moreover, Asian people think that numbers like car numbers are linked closely to their fate and success.
The best numbers have many 6s and 8s (which mean luckiness and prosperity), for example 6666, 8888, 6868 or 8686. Other four-digit registration numbers with only one number (2222, 3333, etc) are also said to be good, except for 1111 and 4444, because 1 means making no headway and 4 means death. Other registration numbers like 0660, 7887, 6886, 1234, 5678, etc. are also special.
There are some numbers which don’t obey the above rules but are said to be special by car owners, such as 1102 (uniqueness), 1668 (more prosperity), 8386 (getting rich), etc.
How much is a special registration number?
According to Dan Tri, it is very easy to see brokers of motorbike and car registration numbers: in front of the head office of the Transportation Police Department – Hanoi Police Agency at 86 Ly Thuong Kiet street, Hanoi.
A broker told Dan Tri that to get a registration number which has the total number of all digits of eight and nine, customers have to pay 4 million dong. Customers can also choose the registration number they like but they have to wait for period of time.
Asking the broker about “tu quy” registration number (with four same digit, for instand 8888, 7777, 6666), he said that clients will have to wait for a long time. He said he couldn’t get the numbers 8888 or 9999 because these are very special numbers, just for “big bosses”. The prices for other “tu quy” numbers like 7777 or 6666 are from $7000 to 10,000.
At another office of Hanoi Transportation Police Department on Nguyen Trai road, Ha Dong district, Dan Tri’s reporters also met with a broker named Tuan, who offered to get number 6868 at the price of $12,000 and 3168 at $9,000-10,000.
This man said the prices for “tu quy” numbers are from $15,000-16,000 and from 5-10 million for numbers with digits rising (for example 1234, 2345). He affirmed that the desired numbers will be available within one week.
A “playboy” in Hanoi told Dan Tri that the most special number is 9999 because its meaning is “saving your life”. Other “nice” numbers include 8888, meaning “good fortune”, 6886 meaning “prosperity”, 6789 meaning “leveling everything”, 7979 meaning “twin gift”, 6363 as “luck and prosperity”.
In addition, there are numbers that look very simple but to get it, people will have to pay a lot of money, for example 1102, which means “second to none” or 1368 (good fortune), 2204 (immortality), 1122 (one is one, two is two).
Do expensive cars “accidentally” receive nice registration numbers?
Dan Tri online newspaper received reader complaints that the current vehicle registration number granting software is not designed by the police, so security is not high. They also complain that some have used the software to benefit themselves. Dan Tri met with Colonel Vu Do Anh Dung, chief of the Land-Railway Traffic Police Agency, to find the answer.
Colonel Dung confirmed that this software was designed by the agency’s IT Department. The system is controlled by codes that are changed very often to prevent attacks and control from outside.
He said that the agency has received complaints about corruption related to the vehicle registration number-granting process. The agency investigated, but had not found any malfeasance.
Dung observed that the public has many opinions about the registration process, which changed from granting numbers sequentially, to drawing lots and now to an automatic system.
He said the Land-Railway Traffic Police Agency will implement new methods to prevent corruption in this process.
Even though he concluded that the system has no problems, why then do luxury cars “accidentally” receive special registration numbers?
Of 10 people who buy cars, up to 9 want to have “special” registration numbers, especially businessmen who are very interested in spiritual matters.
These people pay billions of dong to buy a luxurious car, so they are equally willing and able to pay for special registration numbers.
According to a car seller, some big auto salons buy special registration numbers for clients and use this to promote sales. That’s why many expensive cars bear special registration numbers.
Dan Tri worked with the Hanoi Traffic Police Department to track down cars with nice registration numbers and, perhaps by chance, most special numbers belong to luxury car owners. For instance 30S-6666 belongs to a Lexus, 30P-8888 is on another Lexus, 30T-6666 was found on a Toyota Corolla, 30T-9999 is listed for a Bentley, 30S-9999 for a BMW, 30T-8888 for a Ford and 30K-9999 for a Hyundai. |
PV
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