The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPTC) announced the introduction of the “.kh” country code top-level domain (ccTLD) on Tuesday for the public and businesses.

National .kh domain names will be provided for applicants who are individuals, businesses, companies, organizations, associations, and public and private educational institutions in the categories of national domain names, including .kh, .com.kh, .net.kh, .org.kh, or .edu.kh.

The .kh ccTLD increases the official identity for individuals or legal entities and brand trust for customers or partners, according to MPTC.

To request the use of the .kh ccTLD name, applicants can apply online. This will be reviewed before a decision is made and the fees are paid. A domain name license will then be administered.

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National Registration Application (.kh) has been granted the right to use the National Domain Name (.kh), establish personal identities of individuals or entities on the Internet, increase trust and attract customers and partners, and drive growth in both business and reputation.

Chy Sophat, a tech and digital security consultant, said the national domain name gives various benefits from other globally recognized institutions of legal registration to acquire a chance to cooperate, in addition to displaying the identity and legal status of the website in Cambodia to others.

He noted there was no harm in not applying for the national domain name in the past. However, the registration procedure and solutions will be challenging because the domain name is a technical system and offline techniques are still being used.

“I encourage the use of the national domain name,” Sophat said.

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Nop Vy, Executive Director of Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association (CamboJA), said, “Independent media outlets that publish sensitive stories will be impacted by the national domain name. It is not necessary for independent media,” Vy added.

Lim Cheavutha, CEO of Fresh News, said he supports national domain names. Fresh News’ websites with the .com.kh extension will soon be available because it is recognized to belong to Cambodia and is beneficial for information sites.

Ith Sothoeuth, Media Director at Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM), told Kiripost, “We can see that there is no balance for some acts, such as banning websites that appear to have an influence on the government. NGOs are concerned that the national domain name is under the hands of MPTC.”

Among the early adopters of the .kh ccTLD is Cambodia Digital Economy Portal, which launched in October by Meta.