The Phnom Penh Post; Raksmey Hong; 29-10-2026
PHNOM PENH – The number of billboards advertising alcohol in Phnom Penh has fallen by nearly 49 per cent since July 2024, from 1,026 to 521. At that time the Cambodian government strengthened controls on alcohol marketing in public spaces and across social media to protect public health, particularly among children and young people.
Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra, who chairs the working group overseeing alcohol product advertising, announced the figures on October 28, during the Phnom Penh launch of the second “Goodwill Campaign”. The campaign focuses on strengthening the implementation of measures regulating advertisements for alcoholic drinks and sugary beverages to promote public wellbeing.
The 17-member Cambodian Advertising Media Agency Association, which collects information from all 25 capital and provincial administrations, showed that some advertising companies have switched to promoting other products, while others have left billboards vacant.
In early 2026, Phnom Penh had 3,889 large billboards and advertising structures, with 507, or about 13 per cent, carrying alcohol advertisements, according to the minister. The number had continued to decline from 2025.
Nationwide, there were 6,207 large billboards and advertising structures, with 1,028, or about 17 per cent, advertised alcoholic drinks. Around 620 which previously advertised beer had been converted to promote drinking water.
Neth described the changes as evidence of policy implementation and private-sector participation, but cautioned that reducing the number of advertisements alone was not enough to measure success.
Authorities must also assess whether remaining advertisements are appropriately located, whether health warnings are clearly visible and whether the images or language used appeal to minors, he said.
“Quality of compliance is as important as quantity of compliance. It is not just about implementing measures on a large scale, but also about ensuring they are implemented correctly, with quality and effectiveness,” he noted.
The minister also highlighted that digital advertising has become a growing concern as alcohol marketing reached consumers through Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and other social media platforms, particularly through influencers.
Regulation could no longer focus solely on billboards, television and radio while similar content circulated online without adequate accountability, he said.
“We cannot have a situation in which content is prohibited on television but can be posted without accountability on Facebook or TikTok,” he said.
Companies should not remove alcohol advertisements from locations near schools only to reach the same young audiences through social media influencers.
The government’s controls also cover promotional schemes designed to encourage alcohol purchases through prizes and games of chance. These include rewards linked to can ringpulls and bottle caps, lotteries, scratch cards, coupons, QR codes and digital reward programmes.
“We want companies to compete on product quality, not through games of chance,” Neth said.