The Government of Cambodia has completed the land survey for Phase II of the Funan Techo Canal project in Kandal province, marking a key milestone in the country’s major infrastructure development. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) has announced that as of May 2025 government teams had finalised inspections, data collection, direction checks, and installation of 232 boundary markers in Kandal, along with 38 in neighboring Takeo province. The data will inform a detailed map for leadership review, paving the way for land impact assessments and compensation managed by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Phase II follows the initial stretch surveyed from Prek Pnov along the Bassac River toward Prek Ta Hing. The canal is expected to reshape Cambodia’s transport and logistics landscape by improving inland waterway routes and reducing dependence on neighboring ports.
Originally budgeted at USD1.7 billion but later revised to USD1.156 billion, the Funan Techo Canal project is being developed under a public-private partnership. Cambodian entities hold 51 per cent of the investment, while Chinese firms—led by state-owned China Communications Construction Company and its subsidiary, China Road and Bridge Corporation—own the remaining 49 per cent.
The canal’s development is expected to affect nearly 10,000 homes, 30 bridges, 36 roads, and thousands of hectares of farmland. The government began compensating affected communities earlier this year. Once completed, the canal is projected to significantly boost Cambodia’s economic autonomy by facilitating direct maritime access.