ERIC KIM – Cambodia’s love affair with Telegram is the result of several powerful forces converging at the same time: top‑down political endorsement, bottom‑up user convenience, a tightening censorship environment, unique linguistic challenges, and the rise of new digital business (and criminal) ecosystems. Together these factors have propelled the app from niche messenger to the Kingdom’s de‑facto public square in barely four years.

Cambodia’s love affair with Telegram is the result of several powerful forces converging at the same time: top‑down political endorsement, bottom‑up user convenience, a tightening censorship environment, unique linguistic challenges, and the rise of new digital business (and criminal) ecosystems. Together these factors have propelled the app from niche messenger to the Kingdom’s de‑facto public square in barely four years.

1. Government blessing turned “network effect” rocket‑fuel

Hun Sen’s high‑profile migration

In June 2023, Facebook’s Oversight Board recommended suspending Prime Minister Hun Sen for inciting violence. Hours before the ruling, he publicly announced he would “stop using Facebook and move to Telegram” — an instruction repeated on state media and to ruling‑party cadres.
By July 2023 he was livestreaming exclusively on Telegram and urging ministries, police, and even veterans’ associations to open channels there; DW notes he called Telegram a “better” way to reach citizens.

Why it matters:

When the country’s most powerful politician shifts platforms, civil servants, businesses, journalists, and ordinary people quickly follow so they don’t miss official directives, job postings, or benefits.

## 2. A safer harbour in an ever‑shrinking media landscape

Independent news websites (RFA, Cambodia Daily, Kamnotra) were repeatedly blocked in 2023, pushing audiences toward channels that remain reachable without VPNs.
Reuters documents how the planned National Internet Gateway centralizes state control and has already seen teenagers arrested for “insulting” officials in Telegram comments — paradoxically highlighting why encrypted or semi‑anonymous apps feel essential.

Net effect: Telegram’s Russian hosting, optional end‑to‑end encryption, and the fact that Cambodia’s elite rely on it make the app less likely to be throttled than dissident websites, so both government supporters and critics gravitate to it.

## 3. Features tailor‑made for Khmer users

Telegram capability	Why it resonates in Cambodia
Huge channels & groups (unlimited followers)	Ideal for broadcasting government orders, flash‑sale ads, or concert livestreams.
Voice‑note culture	Khmer has the world’s largest alphabet (74 letters); Cambodians often find typing cumbersome. Telegram’s push‑to‑talk mirrors habits that Rest of World found across Cambodian messaging apps.
Low data mode & bots	Mobile data is still pricey for rural users; Telegram’s compressed media and shopping/chat bots feel lighter than Facebook’s full app.
No mandatory real‑name policy	Useful for whistle‑blowers and for informal buying‑and‑selling communities.

## 4. Commerce, content – and cyber‑crime – super‑charge adoption

Legitimate business

E‑commerce bulletins note that “Facebook, TikTok and Telegram dominate online sales”, with SMEs hosting catalogue channels and payment bots.
Marketplace channels such as “The Cambodia Market” boast tens of thousands of members trading everything from motor‑scooters to mangoes.

Grey‑to‑black markets

Reuters and RFA investigations show Cambodian‑linked conglomerate Huione ran Telegram black‑markets that moved >$24 billion before being purged in 2025.
Scam‑compound recruiters, unlicensed betting sites and pirated‑movie channels all rely on Telegram’s large‑file sharing and anonymity, bringing in swathes of new (if involuntary) users.

Take‑away: Even illicit activity expands the overall user base, because victims, regulators, and journalists also join Telegram to monitor or investigate these networks.

## 5. Sheer numbers confirm the trend

Cambodia had 11.65 million social‑media users in January 2024 (≈68 % of the population).
Local press using DataReportal figures highlights Telegram alongside Facebook and TikTok as one of the three platforms with double‑digit annual growth in 2024.

While Telegram does not release country‑level MAU data, agency surveys and ad‑audience estimates put Cambodian Telegram accounts well above six million – astonishing for an app that barely registered five years ago.

## 6. Risks and headwinds

Risk	Details
State surveillance	Authorities can still subpoena unencrypted “cloud” chats and monitor metadata.
Harassment & doxxing	Lack of content moderation means women and activists report coordinated abuse.
Scam reputation	Association with cyber‑fraud networks could trigger future geo‑blocking or payment‑processor bans.
Domestic rivals	The government is now promoting a home‑grown messenger (CoolApp) but its 300 k users remain tiny in comparison.

## 7. Bottom line

Telegram succeeded in Cambodia because it solved practical problems (typing, data costs), arrived just as Facebook trust was faltering, and received an unprecedented endorsement from the very top of the political pyramid. Add a dash of entrepreneurial hustle and a shadow economy that thrives on encrypted channels, and the result is a messaging app that functions like Cambodia’s second internet.

For Cambodians today, “Check Telegram” has become as routine as checking traffic or the weather — whether you’re following the prime minister, bargaining for a used Honda, or just sending a quick voice‑note that says, in Khmer, “I’m on the way!”