A TOURIST could face up to two years in prison over his negative online reviews of a Thai island hotel.
The Sea View Resort on Koh Chang claims American Wesley Barnes launched a barrage of complaints against them after his stay, forcing them to take legal action in a country renowned for strict criminal defamation laws.
Mr Barnes, who works in Thailand, penned multiple reviews on different sites, the hotel alleges. In one posted in July, he claimed to have encountered "unfriendly staff" who "act like they don't want anyone here".
Another post, which accused the hotel of "modern day slavery", was removed by TripAdvisor for violating its guidelines.
Mr Barnes is accused of causing "damage to the reputation of the hotel". He was arrested and returned to Koh Chang for a brief detention, but is now out on bail.
More at https://www.traveller.com.au/tourist-faces-jail-for-bad-review-of-thai-resort-on-tripadvisor-h1r093
The Sea View Resort on Koh Chang claims American Wesley Barnes launched a barrage of complaints against them after his stay, forcing them to take legal action in a country renowned for strict criminal defamation laws.
Mr Barnes, who works in Thailand, penned multiple reviews on different sites, the hotel alleges. In one posted in July, he claimed to have encountered "unfriendly staff" who "act like they don't want anyone here".
Another post, which accused the hotel of "modern day slavery", was removed by TripAdvisor for violating its guidelines.
Mr Barnes is accused of causing "damage to the reputation of the hotel". He was arrested and returned to Koh Chang for a brief detention, but is now out on bail.
More at https://www.traveller.com.au/tourist-faces-jail-for-bad-review-of-thai-resort-on-tripadvisor-h1r093
