Facebook being blocked in Cambodia?

Cambodian Internet users today confirmed they’re unable to access world’s popular social networking site Facebook. The inaccessibility happens to subscribers of Metfone, which is owned by the Vietnamese military subsidiary Viettel.

Oops! Google Chrome could not connect to facebook.com

Try reloading: facebook.com

Users get a message of ‘Request timed out’ when a user tries by pinging facebook.com, despite the connection being configured to use Google DNS or OpenDNS. However, using freely available web proxies along with OpenDNS to access the site works.

According to Facebookers, a site that provides information about Facebook users, there are currently nearly 10,000 in Cambodia using the site every day. Currently, with other ISPs are not affected by this issue. Metfone users have to go through Facebook site via this IP address: 69.63.181.11, while those with WiCam access the site via 69.63.189.11.

Late last year, bloggers in Vietnam reported on the issue when many leading Internet Service Providers began blocking Facebook. Vietnamese blogger Huy Zing detailed in his blog post, FAQ on Vietnam block of Facebook.

Update:  July 13, 2010

Two employers working for Metfone responded to an email saying:

“Thank you so much for letting me known of this problem; I also got the same problem as you. We will try to solve this problem very soon, and will confirm you as soon as possible.”

Another employee:

“I’m not sure about it also. With my network i can’t access it too.”