While Cambodia’s cinemas remain shuttered due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kingdom’s movie buffs can still enjoy top quality films on JaiKonTV.

With more than half a million downloads, the streaming service – available on iOS and Android – is committed to ensuring people are safe and entertained.

“We want to encourage people to stay at home and watch movies,” said JaiKonTV’s senior content executive Lim Chenda as precautions are taken to combat the global outbreak.

To that aim, the video on demand (VOD) platform is giving readers of The Phnom Penh Post a month’s free subscription to access the best in local and Asian content.

With “jai” meaning “bug” in Khmer and “kon” meaning “movie”, JaiKon translates as “movie buff”, and the Kingdom’s film fanatics are served up a treat, with more than 5,000 hours of content available.

“Our VOD platform offers a wide-ranging selection, and it has been hand-picked to best serve Cambodians. We have a range of content that is perfect for all age groups, serving teenagers, young working adults, families, and all other demographics.

“We have all genres, for example horror, comedy, romance and drama, as well as a food channel and content offering beauty tips to satisfy all those seeking entertainment during this period.

“Non-Khmer content is either dubbed or has subtitles to benefit our viewers, with South Korean and Chinese productions proving popular,” Chenda said.

VOD platforms, famously such as Netflix, allow users to watch video without the restrictions of a traditional broadcasting schedule, and JaiKonTV was founded in 2017 to offer Cambodians the best in entertainment.

“We weren’t able to find a platform that delivered localised content for our fellow Cambodians back then, so we decided to start one.

“Another reason was to support the distribution of local content so that we can help get the Cambodian film industry to the next level. We choose the content that best suits a Cambodian audience, and we are especially keen to support local content.

“We are optimistic for the future of Cambodian film, and we are looking forward to seeing more Cambodian talent being given greater opportunities to produce content and to be able to showcase this outside the Kingdom,” Chenda said.

This is no better demonstrated than by the success of 2016 crime drama Jailbreak – produced by JaiKonTV parent company Westec Media Limited – which received positive international reviews, with Netflix eventually acquiring the rights.

The Hollywood Reporter described Jailbreak as “a powerful and visceral showcase of the talent and technical expertise Cambodian cinema has to offer”.

“We have produced large-scale local content, such as as Jailbreak, which was a collaboration with Kongchak Pictures. We have another upcoming project with Kongchak Pictures, a horror movie called Tenement, which is in post-production

“Last year we released the romance Young Love and the comedy My Wife is a Tomboy in collaboration with Lyda Pictures. Also, we have since invested in and funded nine titles in support of the local film industry,” Chenda said.

The Phnom Penh native said JaiKonTV offers different packages to cater to movie buffs in Cambodia, with a monthly subscription available for just $1:25.

“Paid subscribers can enjoy VIP unlimited, ad-free viewing.

You can subscribe daily, weekly or monthly. Monthly subscription is the most popular as there is always something new to discover. We also have a free subscription to allow people to watch limited content for nothing but there will be advertisements.

“The JaiKonTV app is for Cambodians. We acquire content from local production companies, while we also produce our own stuff, such as the Foodbuzz food platform and the upcoming Cooking Show.

To receive your free 30-day JaiKonTV subscription, simply enter the redeem code: WATCHJKTVATHOME.

The code is valid from April 17-30 this year. More information can be found on the JaiKonTV Cambodia Facebook page.

With quality content available at the touch of a button and the Cambodian film industry thriving it, is now easy to follow JaiKonTV’s motto for the current situation: “Stay at home – we bring you the best in entertainment.”

“We are constantly improving to better serve Cambodians,” Chenda stressed. “And with the company strongly positioned, we are grateful to have a passionate team working together to do just that.”