The Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC) yesterday threatened to render more than 160 private and government websites inaccessible unless they pay overdue fees for the use of the Kingdom’s “.kh” internet suffix.

The TRC published a list of institutions, which included some of the country’s highest profile government and development agencies, in a local newspaper, alleging almost $5,000 in unpaid fees and that it would temporarily suspend services if payment is not made by May 22.

The announcement was signed by the director-general of the TRC, Mao Chakrya.

“For those, including ministries, provincial departments and private companies, who do not meet the above deadline in paying their fee for using suffix ‘.kh’ for 2013, the TRC will temporary stop their services,” the newspaper announcement read. Speaking to the Post yesterday, Chakrya said the TRC released the list to remind those institutions to fulfil their contractual obligation to pay for the use of the indicator.

Use of the “.kh” at the end of a website is administered by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Cambodia, under the control of the TRC.

Among the 163 listed institutions is the Supreme National Economic Council’s website, snec.gov.kh.

The University of Puthisastra, the Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC) and microfinance firm Hattha Kaksekar were also on the list of overdue account holders.

Ouk Kimpheara, IT officer at CEDAC, said he had paid for the service and he believed the TRC’s list to be in error. “I am going to check for the invoice with our accountant and verify this with the ministry,” he said.

Hout Ieng Tong, general manager of Hattha Kaksekar, said his company had paid to have the .kh indicator valid for three years from 2010, expiring last year.

“We are really willing to pay,” he said. “They should inform us in advance and if so, we might already have paid.”