Poipet: The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPTC) has assured the public that the telecommunication disconnection along the Thai border is not related to Cambodia and has not affected the people in Poipet city, Banteay Meanchey province.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, on Feb. 10, 2025, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) of Thailand and the Thai local authorities took measures to cut off optical fiber cables and dismantle Base Station poles of Thai telecommunications operators in Sa Kaeo province, Thailand. These actions were taken as the infrastructure was suspected of being used by call-centre gangs along the border areas.

The MPTC clarified through a news release issued on Feb. 12 that the disconnection of telecommunications services from Thailand is not related to Cambodia and has not affected the people in Poipet city. Residents in Poipet rely on internet and telephone services provided by domestic licensed operators.

The source also noted past cooperation between the MPTC and the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC) with competent authorities to take legal action against the illegal installation of telecommunications networks. These actions targeted the construction of local and cross-border optical fiber cable networks without licenses, illegal installation of telecommunications service repeaters, fake base transceiver stations (BTS), and the illegal use of satellite internet services, which have been used to support illegal casinos, online gambling, and online scams.

To ensure high-quality and safe telecommunications services, the MPTC has tasked the TRC to work with telecommunications operators to build and install more than 5,000 additional mobile phone Base Stations across the country from 2025 to 2027.