National Road 48 (Cambodia)

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National Road 48

NR48 highlighted in red
Route information
Part of AH 123
Major junctions
From NR 4 in Sre Ambel
Northwest end Highway 3 in Mondol Seima
Location
CountryCambodia
Highway system

The National Road 48 (Khmer: ផ្លូវជាតិលេខ៤៨, romanized: Phlauvchate Lekh 48), abbreviated as NR48, is one of the main primary roads that crosses much of the coast of Koh Kong province located in the southwestern corner of Cambodia, it connects the districts of Sre Ambel and Mondol Seima passing through the Cardamon Mountains[a] of the province until reaching the international border with the Trat Province in Thailand. This road passes through several national reserves in the province including the Peam Krasaop Wildlife Sanctuary as well as the Botum Sakor National Park.

The NR48 is part of AH123 within the Asian Highway Network and serves as a corridor between Thailand and Vietnam. A large part of NR48 was rehabilitated by the Thai government in cooperation with the Cambodian authorities and local construction companies in order to connect Laem Chabang Port in Choburi via the National Highway 3, also known as Sukhumvit Road, to the ports of Koh Kong and Sre Ambel.[b]

History

NR-48 heading to the border post at Pak Khlang Commune

During the 20th century, much of the route was inaccessible, requiring the use of ferries to reach the area around Sre Ambel. Throughout the 2000s, the Thai government financed the rehabilitation and creation of different bridges along NR48 in order to connect Cambodia with the rest of the ASEAN routes, where previously it was necessary to take NR4 to reach Sihanoukville and then go around the coast of Koh Kong Province by boat in order to reach Thailand from this area of Cambodia, it was one of the major rehabilitation processes that NR48 underwent after its creation in the 1960s.[3] These rehabilitation projects included the construction of bridges over several rivers in Koh Kong province and some of them were partly financed by casinos.[c] At the end of 2007, a bridge was completed over the Prek Kampong Saom in Sre Ambel, where access to this area required the use of ferries.[d]

The construction of NR48 has partially altered elephant migration routes to the Koh Kong coast plus increased human settlement from Veal Bi to Thmor Baing as well as around the Sre Ambel River, partially isolating native elephant populations from the Kirirom Plateau.[e]

At the end of 2021, the Cambodian government signed an agreement with the Korean Official Development Assistance in order to improve the condition of NR48.[7] The project was financed by the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF)[8] The road renovation was supervised by the Korean construction company "Ilsung & Hanil".[9]

Route description

The Sre Ambel Bridge funded by the Royal Thai Government and officially opened in 2008

Koh Kong Province

The national road starts at the Chamkar Loung intersection with NR4.[10] The route passes around Sala Mneang Hill (ភ្នំសាលាម្នាង Phnŭm Sâla Mnéang),[11][12] where NR48 connects the locality of Boeng Preav (ភ្នំបូអ៊ីងព្រាប). The national road goes much further north and crosses the Prek Kampong Saom/Sre Ambel River,[13] formerly known as Rivière de Sre Umbell when Cambodia was part of French Indochina.[f] At this point, NR48 heads towards the Antoat Hills area (ភ្នុំអនាត).

The route heads much further northwest and crosses the commune of Chikhor Leu (ជីខលើ). The NR48 serves as the main access road for this commune, in this specific section it passes around several fruit and sugarcane plantations.[g][15] Then, NR48 heads to the Kandol Commune (ឃុំកណ្ដោល), where the national road connects the villages of Tam Kan and Thnong.[16] In this section, the national road crosses the Prolean Creek (ព្រលាន).[17]

In this section, the route heads much further southwest and crosses the Preak Piphot River (ព្រែកពិដោរ) to reach the urban center of Andoung Tuek (អណ្ដូងទឹក). From this section, NR48 goes much further north and passes through Botum Sakor National Park (ឧទ្យាន​ជាតិ​បទុម​សាគរ). [h]

The NR48 subsequently reaches the urban center of Trapeang Rung[19] and crosses the Areng Stream.[20] At this point, NR48 passes through the Southern Cardamon Protected Forest (ព្រៃក្រវាញខាងត្បូង Prey Krâvăny Khâng Tbaung).[21] The national road goes far north until it reaches the commune of Tatai (តាតៃ) and then crosses the Preat River (ស្ទឹងព្រាត) through the Phum Daung Bridge (ស្ពានភូមិដូង).[22] Then heads towards the area around Win-Win Monument (ស្តូប​អនុស្សាវរីយ៍​នយោបាយ​ ឈ្នះ ឈ្នះ),[23] located on the "Lok Yeay Mao slope".[24].

Then, NR48 passes around the Peam Krasaop Wildlife Sanctuary (ដែនជំរកសត្វព្រៃពាមក្រសោប). The road goes much further west and serves as an access point for the Tapon Waterfall (ទឹកជ្រោះតាប៉ន), the waterfall is located near the "Ta Phorn Water Valley and Irrigation" project, a reservoir with a dam to store water used in the Khemarak Phoumin Municipality.[25] Then, NR-48 subsequently crosses Prek Svay (ព្រែកស្វាយ).[26][i] From this point, the National Road heads towards Krong Khemara Phoumin, the provincial capital.

Then, NR48 crosses the Kaoh Pao River (កោះប៉ោ), formerly known as Rivière de Kaspor during the French colonial era.[j] The highway then heads to the urban center of Mondol Seima (មណ្ឌលសីមា) and goes much further north until it reaches the border post with the province of Trat in Thailand.

Major intersections

Province (Khétt)District (Srok)kmmiDestinationsNotes
Koh Kong ProvinceSre Ambel District00.0 NR 4
Khemarak Phoumin District14892 NR 10[27]
Mondol Seima District15999 Highway 3[28]Also known as the "Sukhumvit Road"
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Notes

  1. ^ "Termain around NR 48 is generally mountainous and it is observed that residents do not live along the road except some towns. It was observed during the survey that heavy trucks drive slowly (20-30 km/hr) in mountainous area where vertical profile is steep."[1]
  2. ^ "In May 2008 it was announced that former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was planning to open a casino on Koh Kong, on the Cambodian side of the maritime frontier and was pushing to make Koh Kong into a special economic zone. This development occurred simultaneous to the establishment of Road 48 (built with Thai Bhat 1 billion) which would link Koh Kong to the Laem Chabang port in Chonburi, Thailand."[2]
  3. ^ "With construction of the impressive 1.9 km long bridge (said to be funded mostly by casinos) through the wide estuary of Koh Por (Stung Koh Kong) in 2005, and opening in 2008 of the last bridge at the National Highway 48 (NH48), 'the Carmdamonian Road' going through the Cardamons, the area becomes easily accessible and hence very vulnerable."[4]
  4. ^ Quote: "A wide new bridge, spanning the Prek Kampong Saom, was completed in late 2007. Replacing a ferry, it has contributed to a significant improvement in vehicle speed and capacity along Route 48."[5]
  5. ^ "Infrastructure development from Veal Bi (along national road 48) to Thmor Baing and the increasing human settlement in Veal Bi itself, which is in the core area of the elephant habitat in the Cardamom, is another major disruption on elephant population and their movement. National Road No. 48, which stretches from Sre Ambel to Koh Kong, appears to be disturbing elephant movement patterns."[6]
  6. ^ "Pointe des Singes, 1 miles ESE of Pointe du Chef (11° 05' N, 103' 35' E) is the N entrance point of Prek Kampong Saom (Rivière de Sre Umbell), which flows into the NE corner of the bay. Phum Sre Ambel (Sre Umbell) stands on the S bank, 8 miles from the mouth of the river." - From the 1978 Hydrographer of the Navy Report on the China Sea Pilot, p. 128, at Google Books
  7. ^ "The site is located along the main road which connects the National Road No. 48 to Koh Sdech area. The area shown is dominated by farmland and fruit crop farming areas particularly in the elevated land areas and the surrounding area has more vegetation" (Page 9)[14]
  8. ^ "Fortunately, there has been surprisingly little settlement and deforestation along the route between Andung Tuek and Pream Krasop, which is situated on the border between Botum Sakor National Park (south of the highway) and the Southern Cardamoms Protected Forest (north of the highway), making it one of the few (perhaps only) examples of a major highway in a tropical country that has not led, almost immediately, to a land rush and subsequent deforestation. This is due largely to the efforts by the Cambodian government's Forest Administration and Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (DNCP) of the Ministry of the Environment to control illegal activities in this region."[18]
  9. ^ Alternatively known as "Prek Sway", literally meaning "Mango River" in Khmer. Additionally the population center on the banks of the river is also called as "Phumi Prêk Svay", literally "Mango River Village".
  10. ^ "Prek Kaoh Pao (Rivière de Kaspor), the main branch of which leads NNW and parallel with the coast about 3 miles inland, enters the sea 11 miles SSE of Ko Yo. There is a depth of 1-8 m (6 ft) over the bar. There is a custom house at the village of Phum Thral Krabei (Packlang) on the W entrance point of the river (11° 34' N, 102° 57' E)." - From the 1978 Hydrographer of the Navy Report on the China Sea Pilot, p. 125, at Google Books

References

  1. ^ "Data Collection Survey on the Trunk Road Network planning for Strengthening of Connectivity through the Southern Economic Corridor" (PDF). JICA. 2013. p. 2-43.
  2. ^ Udom, Sok (2020). Galda Verlag (ed.). A history of Cambodia-Thailand Diplomatic Relations 1950-2020. (Insights from Southeast Asia 3). p. 164. ISBN 9783962031305.
  3. ^ Kimsong, Kay (1 April 2002). "Koh Kong Bridge Expected to Boost Trade With Thailand". Cambodia Daily. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  4. ^ Kosterin, Oleg (2010). "A glance at the Odonata of the Cambodian coastal mountainous regions: end of dry season in 2010" (PDF). International Dragonfly Fund. Institute of Cytology & Genetics of the Novosibirsk State University. p. 7.
  5. ^ Nee, Meas & McCallum, Wayne (2009). Roads to development: Insights from Sre Ambel District, Southwest Cambodia (PDF). American Friends Service Committee – Cambodia Program. p. 43. ISBN 9789996352508.
  6. ^ "Asian Elephant Conservation Development Plan for Cambodia (2020-2029)" (PDF). Fauna & Flora International. p. 5.
  7. ^ "PM to break ground on road project financed by South Korea". The Phnom Penh Post. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  8. ^ "PM Hun Sen and S. Korean Ambassador to Cambodia to Preside over Groundbreaking Ceremony of Upgrading of the National Road No. 48 Project worth of $100M". Fresh News Asia. 30 December 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  9. ^ Pich, Bor (23 June 2023). "Construction delayed on National Road 48". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  10. ^ Upgrade of National Road No. 48 (Map). Cambodia's Ministry of Public Works and Transport. Archived from the original on 22 August 2022.
  11. ^ Sre Ambel Map (Koh Rong, Cambodia) (Map). US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 1993 – via The Internet Archive.
  12. ^ "ទឹកធ្លាក់នេះ ស្ថិតក្នុងភ្នំសាលាម្នាង ផ្លូវជាតិលេខ៤៨ នៅចំណុចខាងក្រោយសាលាបឋមសិក្សាសាលាម្នាង ភូមិសាលាម្នាង ឃុំបឹងព្រាវ ស្រុកស្រែអំបិល ខេត្តកោះកុង។" [This waterfall is located on Sala Mneang Mountain, National Road 48, behind Sala Mneang Primary Hill, Sala Mneang Village, Boeung Preav Commune, Sre Ambel District, Koh Kong Province.]. Koh Kong Provincial Administration (រដ្ឋបាលខេត្តកោះកុង) via Facebook (in Khmer). 19 October 2024. Archived from the original on 6 March 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  13. ^ "Sre Ambel River". Open Development Cambodia. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  14. ^ "Cambodia: GMS Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Project (Construction of honey storage facilities in Koh Kong province)" (PDF). Asian Development Bank. 2020.
  15. ^ "ផែនទីតំបន់រសើបខេត្តកោះកុង" [Hot Spot map of Koh Kong Province] (Map). OpenDevelopment Cambodia (in Khmer). 2009.
  16. ^ "Koh Kong Road Network Map" (Map). Cambodia's Ministry of Public Works and Transport – via The Internet Archive.
  17. ^ "Subproject location map" (Map). "Cambodia: Greater Mekong Subregion Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Project – Additional Financing" (PDF). 2021. p. 6.
  18. ^ Killeen, Timothy (2012). NUS Press (ed.). The Cardamom Conundrum: Reconciling Development and Conservation in the Kingdom of Cambodia. p. 116. ISBN 9789971696146.
  19. ^ Trâpeăng Rung (PDF) (Map). 1:50,000. 1971 – via University of Texas Library.
  20. ^ "Study sites along Tropeang Roung area" (Map). Distribution of Otters in the Tropeang Roung, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (PDF). 2010. p. 66.
  21. ^ "Sub-decree No.65 on Establishment of Protected Forest for Biodiversity Conservation, Elephant Route Corridor Protection and Bio-wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Koh Kong Province". Open Development Cambodia.
  22. ^ "Location map of NR 48" (Map). "Final Report for the Project for the Study on strengthening Competitiveness and Development Of Sihanoukville Port in the Kingdom of Cambodia" (PDF). 2012. p. 2-72.
  23. ^ "WIN-WIN Monument in Koh Kong Province Achieves 85% of the results". Kasen Post. 16 December 2022. The monument of Koh Kong Province is also located in front of Yeay Mao Hermitage in Boeung Khun Chhang Village, Sangkat Smach Meanchey, Khemarak Phoumin town where along the National Road 48.
  24. ^ Sochan, Ry (18 May 2020). "Win-Win monument to be erected in Koh Kong". The Phnom Penh Post. Koh Kong is organising the construction of a Win-Win memorial at the Lok Yeay Mao slope near National Road 48 in Khemarak Phoumin city for the public to understand the history of what happened in the province.
  25. ^ Asif, Furqan (2016). "Situation Analysis Report – Khemarak Phoumin City, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia" (PDF). Royal University of Phnom Penh.
  26. ^ Dara, An (2009). "The five villages studied in Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary" (Map). An Integrated Assessment for Preliminary Zoning of Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary,Zoning of Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary, Southwestern Cambodia (PDF). p. 5.
  27. ^ Google (6 March 2025). "Driving Directions from Khemarak Phoumin to Sre Ambel" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  28. ^ Google (6 March 2025). "Driving Directions from Phumi Cham Yeam to Sre Ambel" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 6 March 2025.

External links

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