Biography

Kalyan Keo is a Clogger (Cambodian Blogger) who is currently interning at Dell in Singapore. She also did an internship at the Singapore Management University where she was introduced to blogging by her classmates. She also went to Australia to blog about her experiences as a foreign student. She was one of the first Cloggers to start blogging. Her blog can be found at Kalyan's Blog.

She recently gave a talk at BarCamp Singapore. Her presentation can be found here: Clogger's Life: An Introduction to Cambodian Blogophere.

Her interview focused on the blogosphere in Cambodia and its effects in the Cambodian culture and society.


What can you tell us about the Cambodian Blogosphere?

There are about 100 core bloggers today, from about 10 in 2004. There is an estimated 200, 300 blogs created. You can check out RSS aggregation of several core blogs at http://grou.ps/cloggers .

Most Cambodian bloggers contact each other through Facebook, and there are also many Cambodians on Hi-5.


How has blogging contibuted to the spread of information in society?

Blogging has created more openness in expressing ideas not otherwise possible. The internet also means that the traditional print news media has an online presence, making it more accessible. It also allows for broader range fundraising. The internet on a whole has benefitted NGOs and government cooperation.


What is the government doing regarding internet infrastructure?

The government has taken many steps to increase internet access in Cambodia (see http://www.nida.gov.kh/). There are many more ISPs opening up and the price has gone down. The cost for broadband now is approximately USD60 a month, whereas previously it could cost up to USD300 for a slow connection.

The government is also using the internet to make things easier in terms of administration. The Korean goverment has also sponsored building of some infrastructure.


Is there any censorship on blogs in Cambodia?

Mostly not yet, because the blogging community is small. Most of the political blogging actually comes from Cambodians outside Cambodia. Blogging about the accuracy of media is mostly done by expats living in Cambodia.


Which cities blog the most?

Most of the blogging happens in Phnom Penh since most of the Universities are there. There is some blogging in Siam Reap due to the connectivity as a result of the small businesses and tourism there. Most of Cambodia is not connected.


What community/social activities do Cambodians blog about?

There is a fair share of blogging directed at social activities. For example, Beth Kanter raises funds for different projects on her blog (Beth's Blog). Blogging is frequently used to spread ideas and encourage Cambodians to join causes, including participating in fundraisers.

One great example is the "Border with Vietnam" project (Angkor Borei Stationary Project), where Cambodians help to donate stationary for kids. Other examples include various weekend community projects, and a youth festival organised by Mean Lux.

The government tends to do bigger scale projects which are UN funded but their effects are not as significant as works done by smaller groups.