An American who complained about «unfriendly» staff at a Thailand resort in an online review could face up to two years in prison on charges of «damaging the hotel's reputation.»
This summer, Wesley Barnes, who is in Southeast Asia for work, was vacationing on Koh Chang, where he stayed at the Sea View Resort, Agence France-Presse reports. Alas, Barnes didn’t like the living conditions, which he reported in a July review on TripAdvisor. In particular, the man complained about employees who «behave as if they are unhappy with the presence of customers.»
The owner of Sea View Resort did not disregard Barnes's review: he filed a formal complaint against him and accused him of «unfair review.» This was announced to AFP by Colonel Tanapon Tamsara of Ko Chang Police.
Barnes was arrested by the immigration police and detained on Koh Chang until he was released on bail.
If convicted of defamation, the man faces jail time and a fine of up to $ 6,300.
