Cambodian authorities yesterday held a news conference to present evidence implicating two Taiwanese in staging a fake kidnapping video in Sihanoukville last week.
The two suspects are Taiwanese streamers Chen Neng-chuan (陳能釧), also known as "Goodnight Chicken" (晚安小雞), and Lu Tsu-hsien (魯祖顯), also known as “Anow” (阿鬧).
Lu reportedly did the filming as the duo traveled together to Cambodia, where they allegedly staged a fake kidnapping.
Photo courtesy of the Cambodian General Commissariat of National Police
Officials in Preah Sihanouk Province, Cambodia, were quoted by local media as saying the two Taiwanese streamers face charges of inciting discrimination, making false statements and illegal interference in the exercise of public functions.
Preah Sihanouk Province Governor Kuoch Chamroeun presided over the news conference, where the two streamers were present, handcuffed and surrounded by more than 20 police officers.
Chamroeun said that in their videos, the men pretended that they were running from a kidnapping attempt.
Photo courtesy of the Cambodian General Commissariat of National Police
They later posted two clips, one calling for help and one purporting to show them escaping from a hotel, the Phnom Penh Post reported.
“After seeing the video, local authorities tracked the two men to a hotel room. We discovered many of the props used in the fake video,” Chamroeun said.
The fake videos represent a threat to Cambodia’s reputation, particularly the coastal province, he added.
“It is clear that their activities were an attempt to incite chaos in society, so our police officers are continuing with legal procedures and building a case,” Chamroeun said.
Police showed the material collected in four open suitcases and on a table, including military fatigues, ghoulish rubber masks, red paint for fake blood and a torn T-shirt.
Both men have a significant following for their controversial live streams, in which they visit so-called haunted houses and abandoned buildings in Taiwan where they claim to see ghosts, human skeletons and dead creatures.
Chen in the first video claimed he had broken into the “scam park” of Sihanoukville, then showed he was being chased and beaten by an assailant.
In the second video, he claimed to have escaped from the kidnappers.
“They said they did it by themselves to get views and attract more followers. They may want views, but we cannot tolerate something that affects public order in the Kingdom [of Cambodia],” Chamroeun was quoted as saying by the Phnom Penh Post.
The reality of life in Sihanoukville was nothing like what the two depicted or what had been shown in some feature films, he said.
“Most of the bad things people hear about the province are spread by various groups for their own benefit. The reality is nothing like that,” he added. “I accept that there are some issues in every society, but most of the claims I have heard are nothing more than exaggerations.”
The Criminal Investigation Bureau in Taipei said that based on similar cases, Chen may be charged with inciting discrimination, making false statements or interference with public functions.
The bureau said it would respect the Cambodian authorities’ investigation and would stay in contact with local police via Taiwan’s liaison office in Vietnam.
Separately, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Jeff Liu (劉永健) said that neither the ministry nor overseas offices have received a request for assistance from the suspects or their families.
The ministry would respect the Cambodian police and judicial system, and overseas offices would ensure that Taiwanese receive fair treatment under the law and provide assistance when necessary, he added.
Additional reporting by CNA
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