Lay Ajakdik, one of the programme’s developers, demonstrates how TranslateKH translates Khmer to English and vice versa. Hong Raksmey
The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications recently launched TranslateKH, a programme tailored to meet the specific needs of various sectors by providing more accurate and specialised translations compared to general tools like Google Translate.
Focusing on Khmer to English and vice versa, the application is designed to address translation challenges in legal, media and technical fields that are often overlooked by general translation services.
Lay Ajakdik, one of the developers, explained that the programme tackles issues like accuracy updates.
"For instance, if Google Translate makes an error, there is no immediate way to correct it, and users may have to wait indefinitely [for an update]. With TranslateKH, however, users can suggest edits easily, allowing us to implement quick fixes locally," he shared.
This responsiveness sets the tool apart, allowing users to submit corrections via its translation panel or on the Telegram support channel @translatekh_mptc to improve future accuracy.
The app, developed by the ministry’s General Department of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), leverages advanced AI to translate text between Khmer and English.
Tailored for the Khmer language, it provides reliable translations with local data storage for enhanced security and seamless integration.
The web browser screenshot of TranslateKH. Supplied
“With features like real-time text and image translation, TranslateKH enables users to overcome language barriers in education, business and daily life,” according to the department.
Unlike general-purpose tools like Google Translate, this new programme excels in specialised fields.
Ajakdik highlighted the project’s collaboration with legal institutions, which supply critical data to train the software for greater accuracy.
“For instance, we are currently adding data related to sub-decrees to improve translation precision,” he told The Post.
The programme’s efficiency is notable, with some users reporting that it cuts translation time by nearly 60 per cent.
An officer from the ministry, who studied in the UK, shared that translating a text with Google Translate might take 15 minutes, while TranslateKH reduces the time to about five.
Currently available for free via its website and Telegram bot, the app boasts a dataset of approximately 15 million translation entries.
A screenshot of the @TranslateKH_bot on Telegram. Supplied
According to the ministry, the tool achieves an impressive 97 per cent accuracy rate in tests, with ongoing improvements to further enhance performance.
For those interested, using the platform is simple. On the website, users input text, select the source and target languages, and generate output. On Telegram, the @TranslateKH_bot provides translations with an easy-to-use interface, including options for adjusting language pairs.
While the programme delivers fast and accurate translations, it does have limitations, such as a maximum character capacity of 3,000 per translation due to storage constraints.
Despite this, it remains a valuable tool for those seeking reliable, sector-specific translations.
“Future updates will enhance translation quality and introduce features like voice translation, enriching the overall user experience,” the department stated.
