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Area wise Kampong Thom is the 2nd largest province of Cambodia. The capital of this province is also named Kampong Thom and this charming lies on the bank of the river Stung Sean. This city was considered to be one of the strongest in Southeast Asia during the Funan period. One can find a number of irrelevant Angkorian sites in this city apart from its two main Temples, the Prei Kuk and the Sambor. Few may know that Kampong Thom was originally known as Kampong Puos Thom. There was a big cave next to the dock of the Sen River occupied by two big snakes that were visible to the people of the locality during Buddhist holidays. After the snakes disappeared, the name was changed from Kampong Puos, (Puos means Snake), Thom to Kampong Thom. During their rule, the French partitioned the territory of Cambodia into several provinces and named them according the spoken language.

Geography: Located at the center of Cambodia, the Kampong Thom province occupies a total land area of 15,061 square kilometers consisting of 737 villages, 81 communities and 8 districts. This province is bordered on the north with Siem Reap and Preah Vihear, on the south with Kampong Cham, on the east with Kratie and on the west with Kampong Chhnang.

Population: As of 2007, Kampong Thom has a population of 708,398, which is 4.5% of the total Cambodian population of 14,363,519, and the growth rate of the same is 2.4%. Out of this population, approximately 343,478 or 48.3% are males and 364,920 or 51.7% are females. Of the total population 517,072 consists of farmers, 28,150 are fishermen, 91,248 are traders and the remaining are government officials.

Climate: Cambodia is a topical country and this shows in its climate that is both humid and warm. This is also true to Kampong Thom that has got a temperate climate. This climate facilitates tourism and adequate rainfall facilitates the cultivation of various types of crops. Those planning to visit Kampong Thom can visit it throughout the year, but they are recommended to avoid road travel during the monsoon when some of the roads of the country become inaccessible. The average temperature of Kampong Thom is 27º Celsius and the lowest temperature is about 16º Celsius.

Economy: The economy of Kampong Thom depends upon its fish trade and tourism. There is no dearth of tourists, thanks to the huge number of ancient temples, along with picturesque mountains, lakes, forests and rivers. Raising fish is a cottage industry and one can find the same being pursued in most homes. The cultivation of cashew nuts also provides a huge boost to the economy of the region with Kampong Thom being the second largest producer of the same in Cambodia.

Get in and out: As with the other parts of Cambodia, the best way to reach Kampong Thom is via the national highways. To reach this province from Phnom Penh, one should take the national highway No. 6. There are air-conditioned buses that one can avail of and they are quite cheap. Share taxis are also available.