Vietnamese TikToker fined for ‘defaming’ Angkor
VIETNAMESE TikToker Hua Quoc Anh, who is based Ho Chi Minh City, was fined $306 on January 3 for posting a video clip which defamed Cambodia’s world-famous Angkor Wat Temple in November last year, according to Vietnamese media outlet VN Express.
It was reported that the authorities not only fined Quoc Anh, but demanded that he learn his lesson and abide by Vietnamese laws on the use of social media and the Internet.
The legal consequences stemmed from Quoc Anh’s visit to Cambodia in November last year. The images and video he shot at Angkor Wat drew an angry outcry from the Cambodian public, as well as the authorities.
His videos showed a woman moving slowly through Angkor Wat Temple, with superimposed images of the former King of Thailand and the Thai flag appearing in the video. It was widely suggested at the time that the intention of the video was to provoke conflict between Thai and Cambodian viewers.
The APSARA National Authority (ANA) requested TikTok to block the video clips, explaining that they disrespected the culture and heritage of Cambodia.
ANA spokesperson Long Kosal did not responded to The Post’s request for comment on January 4.
Angkor Wat is the most wellknown symbol of Cambodia, and the image of the temple appears on the Kingdom’s flag. It is also one of the most visited destinations in the world.
In 2023, well-known travel advice and booking site Tripadvisor placed an “Angkor Wat Sunrise Tour” eighth on its list of top ten global attractions, and fourth in Asia.
Some commentators warned at the time that any misrepresentation or defamation of the temple could lead to violence, as experienced in 2003.