Vietnamese Tiktoker may be banned from Cambodia because of Angkor Wat temple video

TikToker Hua Quoc Anh could face a 5-10 year ban from entering Cambodia for his video defaming the sacred Angkor Wat temple.

Responding to VnExpress on the evening of November 17, Deputy Secretary of State of the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism Prak Chandar said that the actions of Vietnamese TikToker at Angkor Wat temple on October 23 had a negative impact on the image of tourism. Currently, relevant parties are considering imposing a penalty on this TikToker, possibly banning him from entering Cambodia for 5-10 years.

Hua Quoc Anh, who lives in Ho Chi Minh City, went to Angkor Wat temple to film and take photos on October 23 and then posted a video on TikTok with the image of a girl wearing pink, holding a stick, walking around Angkor Wat temple and inserting images of the Thai flag and king, along with the sound "Hello Thailand".

Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia. Photo: Expedia — Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia. Photo: *Expedia*

The Angkor Wat World Heritage Conservation Authority (Apsara) on November 12 assessed the video as having an impact on Cambodia's culture and heritage and said it had asked social network TikTok to block it. Apsara also called on internet users not to continue sharing and supporting negative actions. The video has now been removed from the TikTok platform.

According to lawyer Do Minh Hien (Hanoi Bar Association), based on the above information, this person's actions were carried out in Cambodia and are not subject to Vietnamese law. Therefore, how to handle the male TikToker depends on the Cambodian authorities and is applied according to the laws of this country.

Kim Phalet, an international tour guide for Cambodia, said that Cambodia and Thailand had a dispute over the Preah Vihear temple on the border. Therefore, the act of inserting Thai images into a video shot at Angkor Wat has angered Cambodians. In addition, Kim said that tourists who bring a crew, use professional cameras but wear non-Cambodian clothing need to apply for permission in advance.

Earlier this week, Hua Quoc Anh refused to share the reason for filming the video in Cambodia but inserted images and sounds related to Thailand. However, he also admitted his mistake and "hoped to be forgiven".

The Angkor Wat temple complex in Angkor, Siem Reap, is the world's largest religious monument with over 160 hectares (some documents say about 200 hectares), considered the pinnacle of Khmer architecture. Angkor Wat is the heart and soul, the pride of the Cambodian people. In 1992, UNESCO recognized Angkor Wat as a world cultural heritage.

Tu Nguyen

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