National Road 10 officially opens between Battambang, Pursat and Koh Kong

A direct northwest-to-coast corridor is now officially open

For residents and drivers, the most immediate change is the route itself. The new road connects Samlot in Battambang with Veal Veng in Pursat and continues to Koh Kong, creating a continuous national-road corridor across the three provinces. Prime Minister Hun Manet said at the inauguration that people in Pursat can now reach the seaside without having to travel through Phnom Penh.

The Ministry of Rural Development says construction took 66 months and was substantially completed in May 2025, while the formal opening for public use took place on October 1, 2026. The project cost about US$252 million, financed through Chinese government cooperation and Cambodia's national budget.

For practical context, see Cambodia market and country comparisons. This development also connects with Cambodia opens upgraded National Road 7 to Kampong Cham.

Better access does not produce the same benefit for every trip

The road may simplify journeys and freight movements between the interior and Koh Kong, but the saving will vary by starting point, destination and the quality of connecting local roads. Someone considering where to live along the corridor still needs to look at access to schools, healthcare, markets and other daily services, not just distance to National Road 10.

The opening also does not establish a property-price effect. Any claim about land or housing values would need separate evidence from specific towns and transaction data after the corridor is in use.