Due to its strategic location, the town and port of Neak Leung has been a significant battleground at various times in Cambodia's history.

National Road 11 begins in Neak Leung and connects the provincial capital at Prey Veng 30 kilometres to the north.

There is an abundance of fresh produce available, which includes the products of local farmers and fruits imported from Vietnam by road and river.

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 current vessels were purchased in 1997, as part of a US$20 million grant from the Mekong River Commission to upgrade ferry facilities in Cambodia.

[5] For many years, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) had been searching for capital to build a second bridge across the Mekong at Neak Leung.

[6] 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.

Transport Minister Tram Iv Tek said that originally, the government had a plan to send the ferries to the Lvea Em dock [near Phnom Penh].