Background
National Road No.10 is a 198.518-kilometre national highway linking parts of Battambang and Pursat provinces with the Koh Kong coastal region. The project was financed with a concessional CEP loan from China of USD 192,712,740 and USD 59,360,000 from the Cambodian state budget, for a total investment of USD 252,072,740.
The road was designed as a strategic multi-purpose corridor to connect western agricultural areas to deep-sea ports and coastal economic nodes, while crossing mountainous and forested terrain that required route adjustments for environmental protection. The construction contract was awarded to China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) with technical supervision by Guangzhou Wanan Construction Supervision Co., Ltd (WACC); construction began on 18 December 2019, reached 100% physical completion on 22 May 2025, and had a planned operation date of 22 May 2026.
Key Developments
On 2 September 2026 a Senate delegation from Committee No.9 conducted an on-site technical inspection of National Road No.10, reviewing pavement condition, bridges and drainage infrastructure along the corridor. Project technical specifications reported by the implementing parties include a DBST pavement with a 9‑metre carriageway, base course thickness of 180 mm and sub-base thickness of 320 mm; 32 concrete bridges totalling 2,325 metres in length (the longest bridge at 530 metres); more than 322 kilometres of drainage works; 776 traffic sign locations; over 85,000 square metres of road markings; 198 kilometre posts; approximately 30,000 metres of safety barriers; and two vehicle weigh stations.
Institutional Role
Committee No.9 of the Senate, which covers public works, transport, industry and construction-related oversight, led the field mission to inspect construction completion and technical conditions. The Senate statement records coordination with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and other central agencies during the inspection, reflecting the legislature’s role in field verification and public reporting on large infrastructure projects.
Market Impact
Project documentation and the Senate report identify key economic objectives: reducing travel time and transport costs for agricultural and other goods moving from inland provinces to Koh Kong ports; improving access to tourism sites in mountain and coastal zones; and enhancing local access to health, education and market services. The implementers also reported an environmental mitigation measure that rerouted 65.76 kilometres of the alignment to avoid wildlife habitats and protected areas, funded in part by an additional national allocation of approximately USD 25 million.
Source
Senate of Cambodia press materials and field report (Senate Facebook post): https://www.facebook.com/SenateofCambodia/posts/pfbid02NgjFWPA2PgkftgatLxrkv9VD4MoX3VGexyaZUx1B89kkn1QBBbugx9sK3FWDbNCzl
