It is situated on the Praek Tuek Chhu River, southeast of the Elephant Mountains, and around 5 km (3 mi) from the Gulf of Thailand.

Imports and exports grew quickly in the hands of the Anglo-Chinese merchants of Singapore, turning a neighborhood of the city into "Chinese Kampot".

Tensions escalated as violence broke out throughout the province, with a complex play of alliances and betrayals as well as interference from Chinese pirates.

After an hour's battle, a Cambodian militiaman of the resident succeeded in penetrating the insurgents' fort, leading to its destruction by French troops and the end of the insurrection.

At the close of 1886, an interview between Norodom and the insurgents was held at Thnol Bek Kus, halfway between Phnom Penh and Kampot, and peace was accomplished.

From 26 February to 2 April 1974, Cambodian government troops battled Khmer Rouge guerillas for control of Kampot city.

This includes the construction of a 42-story multipurpose twin tower set to be the tallest building in Cambodia outside Phnom Penh when completed; widening and improvements to National Road No.

The development has raised concern regarding the impact to colonial buildings that would be demolished to make way for modern infrastructure, the rising price of property, and the destruction of forests.

A petition was launched by residents of Kampot, demanding Prime Minister Hun Sen and King Norodom Sihamoni to modify the project toward more heritage-friendly structures and to move the construction of highrise buildings away from Old Town.

[11] Despite efforts to provide better security and policing, local authorities have been criticized for their response to a number of high-profile serious crimes, including rapes and murders, that were dealt with poorly.

[16][17][18] Some members of Kampot's expatriate community have also faced criticism for alleged attempts to censor, cover up, and control any negative news or reviews about the city, its businesses, and inhabitants, especially on social media groups and pages.