Why Internet Traffic Takes Long Detours: Moscow to Thailand via Marseille and Singapore
Have you ever wondered why your internet traffic travels thousands of kilometers farther than seems logical? One such case was recorded by GeoCables: the route from Moscow (RU) to the server ns1.thnic.co.th in Thailand (TH) passed through Marseille (FR) and Singapore (SG), deviating 2,672 km from the direct line. The round-trip time (RTT) was 215 milliseconds, almost three times the theoretical minimum of 71 ms for the direct distance of 7,065 km. Let's delve into the reasons and consequences of such an internet detour.
Why does the route go through Hurricane Electric and other transit operators?
On this route, the key network providers were AS6939 Hurricane Electric LLC, AS50867 HOSTKEY B.V., and AS4651 National Telecom Public Company Limited. Hurricane Electric, one of the largest global transit operators, is known for its high connectivity. Its nodes are often used for routing international traffic, especially when direct peering between local operators is unavailable. In Moscow, the traffic started via HOSTKEY, a Dutch company with a node in Russia, then crossed Europe, reaching Marseille, where Hurricane Electric connects numerous cables at its landing points.
After Marseille, the route headed to Singapore, another strategic hub. Ultimately, the packet reached Thailand through the networks of National Telecom (formerly TOT Public Company Limited), a major local operator. This detour is linked to the economics of transit: providers choose optimal paths based on cost and peering availability, rather than geographical directness.
Practical consequences for the user
A 215 ms delay is not just a number; it is noticeable in everyday life. For example, during video calls via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, voices may sound significantly delayed, especially in two-way conversations. In online gaming, where every millisecond counts, such a delay makes games practically unsuitable for competitive play. Financial transactions requiring the fastest execution (such as on stock exchanges) also suffer, with traders losing precious milliseconds.
For cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox, high latency results in slow file uploads and reduced interface responsiveness. Ideally, the RTT on this route could be closer to 71 ms, which would significantly improve service quality.
Infrastructure context: why does regional traffic go "off course"?
A direct route from Moscow to Thailand could pass through shorter paths, such as Central Asia or the Middle East. However, infrastructure limitations play a key role. Cable systems in these regions are either underdeveloped or have limited connectivity with global transit operators. Conflict zones also complicate the construction and operation of cables, forcing traffic to bypass problematic regions. In this case, the route through Marseille and Singapore was the most accessible for providers.
Real-world events nearby: how do they impact?
GeoCables has recorded several natural events near this route, including a 5.2 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar on May 18, 2026, and floods in Russia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar during the summer months. However, monitoring data clearly shows that the current internet detour is related to routing characteristics rather than these events. For example, the flooding in Thailand (316 km from the endpoint) occurred several days before the measurement but did not affect the latency.
Nonetheless, such events highlight the importance of resilient infrastructure. For instance, cables passing through areas prone to natural disasters often require additional investment in protection and redundancy.
Conclusion
Internet detours, like the Moscow-Thailand route, reveal the complexity of the global network. Traffic is rerouted not due to the whims of nature but because of economic and infrastructure realities: peering, transit operators, and cable landing points dictate the path. For users, this means increased latency, which can be critical for video calls, gaming, financial transactions, and cloud services. GeoCables continues to monitor such routes to shed light on the hidden mechanisms of the global internet.
