Two CNN journalists who covered the mass shooting at a daycare facility in Thailand have been fined after Thai authorities discovered they had been working on tourist visas. 

Surachate Hakparn, deputy national police commander, however, exonerated the journalists of any wrongdoing, claiming they entered the crime scene after being signalled to do so by public health officers who, unbeknownst to them, lacked the authority to grant them permission. 

The foreign journalists who admitted they worked with tourist visas agreed to pay the fines of 5,000 baht ($133) and exit Thailand.

A photo of the crime scene posted on social media by a Thai reporter caught the attention of the authorities. In the photo, one CNN journalist mounted a low wall over the police tape while her colleague was standing outside the cordoned area.

No fewer than 23 children had been gunned down in the attack, carried out on Thursday, by a sacked police officer.

The photo drew the ire of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT), who asked whether the foreign media “would have behaved in the same way at a serious crime scene in the United States.”

“This was unprofessional and a serious breach of journalistic ethics in crime reporting,” the FCCT stated.

CNN International’s executive vice president and general manager, Mike McCarthy, apologised. He said their staff, who initially “sought permission” from health officials to enter the daycare centre, “now understands that these officials were not authorized to grant this permission.” 

“If the team had understood that the building and its rooms were off limits, they would not have entered. It was never their intention to contravene any rules,” Mr McCarthy wrote in a statement. 

“The team gathered footage inside the centre for around 15 minutes, then left. During this time, the cordon had been set back in place, so the team needed to climb over the fence at the centre to leave,” tweeted the foreign media.

The CNN vice president further disclosed the video recorded by their staff had been pulled off its website.

“We deeply regret any distress or offence our report may have caused and for any inconvenience to the police at such a distressing time for the country,” he added.