Neak Leung
Encyclopedia
Neak Leung is a busy commercial town in Prey Veng Province, Cambodia
. Located on the Mekong and astride National Highway number 1, it is the commune centre for Neak Leung commune and the capital of Peam Ror District. The town can be reached by car ferry from Kampong Phnum in Kandal Province
or by boat along the Mekong river.
Due to its strategic location, the town and port of Neak Leung has been a significant battleground at various times in Cambodia's history. In August 1973, during the Cambodian Civil War
, Neak Leung was propelled to the centre of international attention when an American B-52 Stratofortress
mistakenly dropped its 20 ton load on the town centre.
Neak Leung has grown up at the intersection of several important trade and transport routes. It is located 61 kilometres south east of Phnom Penh
on the east bank of the Mekong River. The town straddles National Highway 1
, which runs from the capital Phnom Penh to the town of Bavet
on the border with Vietnam
. National Road 11
begins in Neak Leung and connects the provincial capital at Prey Veng 30 kilometres to the north. This road continues to join National Highway 7 at Thnal Totoung near Kampong Cham
town.
A busy market has grown up around the ferry port. There is an abundance of fresh produce available, which includes the products of local farmers and fruits imported from Vietnam by road and river.
The car ferries that cross the Mekong at Neak Leung are an essential part of Cambodia's transport infrastructure. The current vessels were purchased in 1997, as part of a $20 million USD grant from the Mekong River Commission
to upgrade ferry facilities in Cambodia. Despite the upgrade, there are sometimes significant delays while waiting to cross. If one of the ferries is not operational or traffic is particularly heavy, there may be queues of hundreds of vehicles and a wait of several hours to cross the river.
The first Cambodian bridge across the Mekong was built in Kampong Cham town with Japanese assistance and opened in 2001. For many years the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has been searching for capital to build a second bridge across the Mekong at Neak Leung Since 2002, the RGC made at least 4 proposals to the government of Japan for funding to build a second bridge over the Mekong at Neak Leung. In June 2007, Prime Minister Hun Sen
made an official visit to Japan
where he appealed directly for aid from the Japanese government to build the bridge.
The Japanese government granted the appeal and the construction plan and environmental impact study are estimated to be complete by the end of 2007. Construction is scheduled to begin 12 February 2011 and cost $131 million.
Neak Leung was propelled to the centre of international attention when an American B-52 Stratofortress
mistakenly dropped its 20 ton load on the town centre. At least 137 Cambodians were killed and another 268 were wounded. More than 30 craters stretched for a mile down the main street and a third of the town was completely destroyed while another third was heavily damaged. Neak Leung market and a large army barracks in the town were also destroyed. This incident was reproduced fairly accurately by director Roland Joffé
in his 1984 film The Killing Fields
.
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. Located on the Mekong and astride National Highway number 1, it is the commune centre for Neak Leung commune and the capital of Peam Ror District. The town can be reached by car ferry from Kampong Phnum in Kandal Province
Kandal Province
Kandal is a province of Cambodia. Its capital is Ta Khmao town . The province completely surrounds, but does not include, the national capital Phnom Penh...
or by boat along the Mekong river.
Due to its strategic location, the town and port of Neak Leung has been a significant battleground at various times in Cambodia's history. In August 1973, during the Cambodian Civil War
Cambodian Civil War
The Cambodian Civil War was a conflict that pitted the forces of the Communist Party of Kampuchea and their allies the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Viet Cong against the government forces of Cambodia , which were supported by the United States and the Republic of Vietnam The Cambodian...
, Neak Leung was propelled to the centre of international attention when an American B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
mistakenly dropped its 20 ton load on the town centre.
Location
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
on the east bank of the Mekong River. The town straddles National Highway 1
National Highway 1 (Cambodia)
National Highway 1 or National Road No.1 is one of the national highways of Cambodia. With a length of , it connects the capital of Phnom Penh with Bavet, Svay Rieng Province on the border with Vietnam....
, which runs from the capital Phnom Penh to the town of Bavet
Bavet
Bavet is an international border gate belonging to Svay Rieng province, Cambodia. Its counterpart across the border is Moc Bai, Vietnam.Bavet belongs to one of the poorest provinces of Cambodia...
on the border with Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. National Road 11
National Highway 11 (Cambodia)
National Road No.8/No.11 is one of the national highways of Cambodia. With a length of , it runs from Neak Leung on National Highway 1 to Thnal Totoung on National Highway 7 near Kampong Cham town....
begins in Neak Leung and connects the provincial capital at Prey Veng 30 kilometres to the north. This road continues to join National Highway 7 at Thnal Totoung near Kampong Cham
Kampong Cham (city)
Kampong Cham is the capital city of the Kampong Cham Province in eastern Cambodia. It is the third largest city in Cambodia with a population of 63,771 people and is located on the Mekong River. Kampong Cham is 124 kilometers northeast from Phnom Penh and can be reached by either boat or by...
town.
A busy market has grown up around the ferry port. There is an abundance of fresh produce available, which includes the products of local farmers and fruits imported from Vietnam by road and river.
Characteristics
Prey Veng province lies on the lower part of the Mekong flood plain. During the rainy season, much of it is severely flooded and is only accessible by boat. Neak Loeung is on slightly higher land and is near the geographic centre of the province. Because of these geographic peculiarities, a number of aid and development agencies have opened offices in Neak Leung, rather than in the provincial capital Prey Veng, as a base for work elsewhere in the province.The car ferries that cross the Mekong at Neak Leung are an essential part of Cambodia's transport infrastructure. The current vessels were purchased in 1997, as part of a $20 million USD grant from the Mekong River Commission
Mekong River Commission
The Mekong River Commission is an intergovernment body charged “to promote and co-ordinate sustainable management and development of water and related resources for the countries’ mutual benefit and the people’s well-being by implementing strategic programmes and activities and providing...
to upgrade ferry facilities in Cambodia. Despite the upgrade, there are sometimes significant delays while waiting to cross. If one of the ferries is not operational or traffic is particularly heavy, there may be queues of hundreds of vehicles and a wait of several hours to cross the river.
Hun Sen
Hun Sen is the current Prime Minister of Cambodia.He has been the sole leader of the Cambodian People's Party , which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979...
made an official visit to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
where he appealed directly for aid from the Japanese government to build the bridge.
The Japanese government granted the appeal and the construction plan and environmental impact study are estimated to be complete by the end of 2007. Construction is scheduled to begin 12 February 2011 and cost $131 million.
The bombing
On August 6, 1973, during the Cambodian Civil WarCambodian Civil War
The Cambodian Civil War was a conflict that pitted the forces of the Communist Party of Kampuchea and their allies the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Viet Cong against the government forces of Cambodia , which were supported by the United States and the Republic of Vietnam The Cambodian...
Neak Leung was propelled to the centre of international attention when an American B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
mistakenly dropped its 20 ton load on the town centre. At least 137 Cambodians were killed and another 268 were wounded. More than 30 craters stretched for a mile down the main street and a third of the town was completely destroyed while another third was heavily damaged. Neak Leung market and a large army barracks in the town were also destroyed. This incident was reproduced fairly accurately by director Roland Joffé
Roland Joffé
Roland Joffé is an English-French film director who is known for his Oscar nominated movies, The Killing Fields and The Mission. He began his career in television. His early television credits included episodes of Coronation Street and an adaptation of The Stars Look Down for Granada...
in his 1984 film The Killing Fields
The Killing Fields (film)
The Killing Fields is a 1984 British drama film about the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, which is based on the experiences of two journalists: Cambodian Dith Pran and American Sydney Schanberg. The film, which won three Academy Awards, was directed by Roland Joffé and stars Sam Waterston as...
.