Anna Coren: CNN anchor who gained fame on Today Tonight copping heavy criticism over a single photo

Australian CNN journalist Anna Coren has been fined and threatened with deportation after she was charged with a “serious violation of journalistic ethics” for filming at a Thai daycare center where 37 people – including 24 children – were murdered last week.

Coren – who made his name as presenter of Channel Seven’s Today Tonight – and British cameraman Daniel Hodge filmed a report in the blood-soaked building.

During the three-minute report – which has since been removed from CNN’s website – Coren pointed to blood on the floor and to children’s backpacks in the nursery in Nong Bua Lamphu.

“They said they found the bodies of children and teachers scattered across these three rooms and we can still see the bloodstains on the floor,” Coren, who lives in Hong Kong, said in the report.

Her coverage caused widespread distaste, including from the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT), which said it was “appalled” by tweeting the report and a photo of Coren outside the nursery as Hodge jumps the fence to leave.

The CNN team “entered a clearly marked crime scene without permission — whatever they claim,” the FCCT said in a statement.

“This was unprofessional and a serious violation of journalistic ethics in crime reporting.”

The group also tweeted a photo of Coren and Hodge exiting the building where the children had been murdered, which has clearly been taped off from the crime scene.

“It was not a first or an example of intrusive reporting because no other news organization, foreign or local, was willing to behave in this unethical way,” the FCCT said.

“Thailand has been traumatized by this tragedy and there is great concern that inappropriate images should not be made public in traditional and social media.

“Simple respect for the deceased and their families is just one of the reasons.”

Anna Coren is pictured during her presentation of Today Tonight on Channel Seven

CNN initially defended the pair, saying on Twitter that “three public health officials who left the building spoke to the team and told them they could film inside.”

But when the Daily Mail Australia got in touch, the global TV news network changed its tune.

“The team now understands that these officials were not authorized to grant this permission,” said Mike McCarthy, executive vice president of CNN International.

“CNN has stopped broadcasting the report and removed the video from its website.

“We deeply regret any distress or violation that our report may have caused, and any inconvenience caused to the Thai police at such a poignant time for the country,” he said.

Mr McCarthy added that when Coren and Hodge wanted to leave the building ‘the gate to the grounds was now closed and a police tape had been applied which meant they had to climb over the gate to get out’.

BBC South East Asia correspondent Jonathan Head was another who expressed disgust at what Coren and Hodge had done.

“I stopped another media team from clambering over the fence and trying to get into the nursery where the horrific murders took place on Thursday night,” he tweeted.

CNN reporter Anna Coren (left) and cameraman Daniel Hodge sit as they talk to Thai government officials in an administrative building near the site of a daycare massacre

Entering a crime scene is not acceptable behavior from journalists. Showing blood-stained rooms inside is extremely insensitive.’

Coren and Hodge were escorted from their hotel in Udon Thani by police and taken to Na Klang Police Station for questioning, Thai Public Broadcasting has reported. reported.

Deputy National Police Chief Surachate Hakparn said the CNN journalists were fined after they were found to have worked in the country after entering on a tourist visa, but were cleared of wrongdoing by entering the nursery.

BBC South East Asia correspondent Jonathan Head expressed disgust (pictured) at what Coren and Hodge had done

Mr Surachate said Coren and Hodge will be deported and blacklisted, but only after any legal proceedings have been completed.

They each agreed to pay a fine of 5,000 baht ($208) and leave the country, Mr Surachate said.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Coren for comment on this story.

The massacre took place in Nong Bua Lamphu, in the north of the Southeast Asian country