On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, H.E. Khan Mane, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) and Project Director, led a technical inspection team including MPWT engineers, construction contractor CRBC (China Road and Bridge Corporation), and technical consultancy firm Guangzhou Wanan to conduct a final on-site inspection of National Road No. 10. The visit was part of final quality assurance efforts to assess long-term usability and adherence to technical standards before the official handover.
National Road No. 10 starts from National Road 57-7 at PK35+900 in Kanchang village, Soeng commune, Samlot district, Battambang province. It runs through Pramaoy commune, Veal Veng district in Pursat province, and ends at the old National Road 48 at PK1+700 in Smach Mean Chey quarter, Khemarak Phoumin city, Koh Kong province.
This road is a Grade III double bituminous surface treatment (DBST) road. It is 197.36 km long and 9 meters wide. The project took 66 months to complete, having begun on December 18, 2019.
After the inspection, on Thursday, May 22, 2025, H.E. the Secretary of State chaired a follow-up meeting to approve the provisional handover of the road for a one-year temporary usage period. This trial phase will allow further monitoring of quality and durability before the road is officially accepted as final.
During the event, H.E. Khan Mane expressed gratitude to all stakeholders for their dedicated work and reminded the construction company to finish the remaining minor works, including road signage and lane markings, in full compliance with technical specifications. The company agreed and committed to completing this within three months, facilitating safe travel and transport for the public.
Relevance and Broader Impact
This road is a major new transport corridor that significantly shortens the travel distance and time between northwest and southwest Cambodia. Before this road, travel between Battambang and Koh Kong required a lengthy detour through Phnom Penh or across difficult mountain terrain. National Road No. 10 now offers a direct, faster route that can reduce travel time by several hours.
The road opens up economic and logistics opportunities, especially for remote areas in Samlot and Veal Veng, which have long struggled with poor infrastructure. It will boost trade, support tourism, and improve public service delivery such as health, education, and emergency response in underserved areas.
Environmentally and socially, this road cuts through sensitive forested and indigenous areas, so continued monitoring will be necessary to assess its impact on biodiversity, forest loss, and local communities, especially indigenous groups living in Veal Veng.
This infrastructure development fits within Cambodia's broader China-backed Belt and Road Initiative projects, and signals continued reliance on Chinese financing and engineering firms for major infrastructure.
