The newly upgraded National Road 48 was formally handed over on June 16. Transport ministry
The construction and upgrading of National Road 48 in Koh Kong province is now complete. The $78 million project was formally handed over to the Ministry of Public Works and transport, following a June 17 inspection.
Ministry secretary of state So Victor, who directed the project, led the inspection. The inspection team included ministry officials, as well as representatives of KCIeng & KECC Joint Venture, the technical consultants on the project, and South Korean construction firms Ilsung & Hanil.
The inspection covered the construction quality, traffic signs and road markings. It included core sampling and compaction tests on the asphalt concrete, water permeability tests and other technical checks.
“After the inspection, a technical evaluation meeting was held on the same afternoon, during which the secretary of state chaired a working group which formally approved the handover of National Road 48. The construction company is obligated to maintain the road for two additional years as part of its warranty,” said a ministry statement.
Victor praised the efforts of the technical and construction teams for completing the project despite the challenging terrain in the area.
He also issued a reminder to all transport companies not to exceed legal weight limits, warning that doing so would damage this important new piece of national infrastructure.
The National Road 48 upgrade, stretching 148 kilometres, was completed with asphalt concrete surfacing. The route begins from Sre Ambel district at the junction with National Road 4 and continues to Khemarak Phoumin town.
The project broke ground on January 3, 2022, and was funded by a grant from the South Korea, with a total investment of over $78 million.
The road includes five sections with four lanes, totalling 30 kilometres, with the remaining 118 kilometres a two-lane road.
Construction was originally planned to take 32 months and expected to conclude by early July 2024. However, due to Covid-19 disruptions and the mountainous geography, the project was delayed by over a year and was completed in May 2025.
This road connects with National Road 10, linking Pursat, Battambang and Pailin provinces to Cambodia’s coastal region.
It serves as a vital economic corridor connecting Cambodia with Thailand and is seen as a strategic artery to boost transportation, regional integration and trade — especially with Sihanoukville’s deep-sea port. The road is expected to facilitate the movement of agricultural products and industrial goods, making trade and logistics faster, more efficient and cost-effective.
