On the morning of October 1, Cambodia's National Road No. 10 was officially opened, with Prime Minister Hun Manet presiding over the inauguration ceremony in Pursat Province. The 198.518-kilometer strategic road is now open to the public, further strengthening transportation links between Battambang, Pursat and Koh Kong provinces.
National Road No. 10 begins in Samlaut District, Battambang Province, connecting to National Road No. 57-7, then passes through Veal Veaeng District in Pursat Province before reaching Koh Kong City, the capital of Koh Kong Province, where it joins National Road No. 48. With the road open, the western region will have a more direct route to the coast.
Hun Manet said the new road will make travel easier for residents along the route and boost local economic activity. In the case of Pursat Province, residents will no longer need to detour through Phnom Penh to reach coastal areas such as Koh Kong, and can instead travel directly via National Road No. 10.
The project involved a total investment of about US$252 million, funded by a concessional loan from the Chinese government together with counterpart funds from the Cambodian government. Construction was completed in May 2025, after which the road formally entered service following related preparations.
In addition to the road itself, the project also included the construction of 20 new bridges and the expansion of 12 bridges, with a total bridge length of about 2,325 meters, further improving travel capacity and safety along the route.
The Cambodian government expects that the opening of National Road No. 10 will shorten transport distances between the western region and the coast, facilitate the movement of agricultural and industrial products, and provide new transportation conditions for tourism development along the Battambang, Pursat and Koh Kong corridor.
