Cambodia has begun rerouting its internet traffic through domestic infrastructure after Prime Minister Hun Manet announced plans to reduce reliance on Thai bandwidth, ban Thai entertainment, and assert the country’s energy independence. The move follows online threats to cut Cambodia’s access to electricity and internet.
The transition, which began at midnight on 13 June, has already led to noticeable slowdowns in internet services nationwide.
Three residents in Phnom Penh and one in Siem Reap told the Laotian Times that they experienced immediate disruptions, including dropped mobile service and significantly reduced internet speeds.
They all reported that their Smart mobile service went down early, Cellcard service is experiencing reduced speeds, and most internet providers across the country have been witnessing significant slowdowns.
Many expressed frustration over the unexpected disruptions amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
The move follows Hun Manet’s announcement on 12 June that Cambodia would begin using its own electricity and internet capacity in response to unspecified threats from groups in Thailand to cut supplies.
He explained that this proactive measure aimed to prevent delays or uncertainty from the Thai side regarding whether the threats would be carried out.
The Prime Minister emphasized that Cambodia was prepared for the transition. According to Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Chea Vandeth, the country has sufficient internet capacity to operate independently, Kiripost reported.
Thai Entertainment Caught in the Ban Web
But the impact extends beyond internet services, it has also reached Cambodia’s media and entertainment sectors.
In a related move, the Ministry of Information issued a directive on 12 June instructing all Cambodian television stations to stop broadcasting Thai films, effective from 12:00 p.m. that day. The ministry framed the order as a matter of national responsibility and urged full compliance from station owners.
That same day, Senate President Hun Sen posted on his official Facebook page, calling on the government to consider suspending imports of Thai products and halting the broadcast of Thai entertainment. His statement echoed previous appeals for calm in the face of growing anti-Thai sentiment online.
The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts followed suit, issuing its own directive suspending the import and screening of all Thai films in cinemas and other venues across the country. The order took effect at 12:00 p.m. on 13 June.
The statement reads:
“The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts hereby informs all film distributors and cinema owners that, effective 12:00 p.m. on June 13, 2025, the import and screening of all Thai films in cinemas and other venues across the Kingdom of Cambodia must be immediately suspended.
All stakeholders are kindly requested to strictly comply with this directive and to cooperate with a high sense of responsibility.”
More on Cambodia’s Reliance on Thailand for Energy and Internet
While the government has not officially announced plans to cut electricity imports from Thailand, officials have affirmed that Cambodia has sufficient power capacity to operate independently, following online threats to disrupt the country’s internet and energy supply.
Minister of Mines and Energy Keo Rottanak confirmed on 12 June that Cambodia is currently not importing electricity from Thailand into its national grid. He emphasized that while cross-border energy cooperation brings mutual benefits, it should be seen as a model of win-win collaboration.
Nevertheless, Rottanak reaffirmed Cambodia’s strong commitment to regional energy cooperation and ASEAN’s connectivity goals. He also encouraged continued partnership between Cambodia and Thailand to support the shared prosperity of both countries and their citizens.
A 2024 report by Energy News noted that approximately 1,030 megawatts, about 25 percent of Cambodia’s energy supply, comes from these three neighboring countries combined. Under a recent agreement, Cambodia plans to increase electricity imports from Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam by 50 percent over the next two years to strengthen grid stability.
It is currently unclear whether or not this agreement is ongoing amidst the tension between the two countries.
For internet access, Cambodia relies heavily on fiber-optic connections through Thailand and Vietnam.
However, no public data is available on the exact volume of internet bandwidth Cambodia imports from Thailand.