In a bizarre turn of events, a Taiwanese national, Chen Neng-chuan, known online as “Goodnight Chicken,” found himself in hot water after a livestream stunt in Cambodia went horribly wrong. Chen’s ill-conceived plan involved faking a kidnapping and assault, purportedly taking place in a “scam park” in Sihanoukville.
The saga began with a livestream on Monday night, where Chen claimed to have broken into the “scam park” before being chased and attacked by unseen assailants. The livestream ended abruptly as Chen dropped his phone. However, he resurfaced in another livestream the next day, claiming to have escaped from his captors. In this stream, he showed injuries and recounted being robbed, tied up, beaten, and tortured with a stun gun.
Authorities were alerted after the second livestream, leading to Chen’s arrest on Wednesday on suspicion of fabricating the kidnapping and assault, as well as defaming Cambodia. A photo released by a Cambodian newspaper showed another Taiwanese streamer, Lu Tsu-hsien, also known as “Anow,” handcuffed alongside Chen. Lu had initially supported Chen when online commentators accused him of staging the incident.
In a press conference, Preah Sihanouk Province Governor Kuoch Chamroeun displayed evidence collected from Chen’s lodging, including military uniforms, ghost masks, red ink resembling fake blood, and a torn t-shirt believed to have been worn in the second livestream. The police stated that Chen had been streaming misleading content since arriving in the country, deliberately creating misunderstandings.
The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Taiwan announced that Chen may face charges including inciting discrimination, making false statements, or illegal interference in public functions. The CIB emphasized that it would respect the Cambodian judiciary’s investigation and stay in contact with local police through Taiwan’s liaison office in Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stated that neither the ministry nor overseas offices had received any request for assistance from Chen or Lu’s families. MOFA pledged to respect the Cambodian police and judicial system, ensuring that Taiwanese nationals receive fair treatment under the law and providing assistance as necessary.
(Source: BBC | Focus Taiwan)
