Few sources of independent information are left in Cambodia. Yet the forced closure of news organizations, pressure on civic spaces and the proliferation of propaganda have made the hunger for reliable data and accurate information greater than ever.

What’s more, the Cambodian government releases public data that often goes little-noticed as it can be difficult to navigate and understand, and it is rarely, if ever, widely accessible to citizens.

Kamnotra — “The Record” — offers a small counterweight to those ongoing challenges. This database, produced by the Cambodian Center for Independent Media, consolidates public data to be accessible, clear and searchable for both Khmer and English speakers, providing context and analysis where applicable.

The goal is for Cambodian and international users to have the data they need to make informed decisions, understand Cambodia’s intricacies and develop deeper media literacy — skills that will only become more important in an increasingly parched information environment.

Kamnotra is starting with two main databases: Gazetteer and In Dispute. The Gazetteer is a tool that indexes documents from the Royal Gazette, a document released by the Council of Ministers collating important government decisions. In Dispute collects and analyzes data about land conflicts across the country.

The project is continuously updating these two databases (the data should not be considered complete) and it will add new datasets to cater to the demands for access to information.

We encourage broad use of the information contained in this database as long as Kamnotra is credited for the original work. Our images are copyrighted and cannot be redistributed.