Opinion: Bad review of Koh Chang hotel: The only real loser is Thai tourism

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, Psimbo said:

Massive difference between a 'bad ' review and a malicious, petulant, vindictive one. An honest 'bad' review can sometimes be productive. I think @Scallywagsummed this up succinctly above.

 

Personally if I have any issues with a hotel or guesthouse I politely explain them at the end of the stay (unless they need rectifying immediately)- staff are normally happy to be told about room issues. On return they've normally been sorted.

 

The guy behaved like an arrogant, entitled sphincter (not that I support the defamation laws here in any shape or form though).

Valid point. My review was factual, as it pointed out the plumbing and cleanliness defects. However, the truth in Thailand is apparently no defense when it comes to defamation law, as it is in other countries.

 

Businesses here have the Thai culture of when someone complains, it's the same as insulting the person. They don't realize it's the whingers who can actually improve their customer service, if they take the grumbles on board. Conversely, it's the customers who walk away saying nothing, never to return, that can sink a business without trace.

 

 

[rott]

53 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yes but isnt it bad that people can destroy your reputation based on lies. I mean that is just unjust. I agree that this is not a criminal case but a private one. But i still think that people who lie (if proven they lie or are out to damage an other) should be held accountable. 

The law does not differentiate between lies and honesty, "out to damage another" is against the law. 

All about context and scale really. 

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, rott said:

The law does not differentiate between lies and honesty, "out to damage another" is against the law. 

All about context and scale really. 

I know that is the Thai law and the law is crazy IMHO. Truth should be a defense and it should be private case not a criminal one. Just my opinion.

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, robblok said:

I know that is the Thai law and the law is crazy IMHO. Truth should be a defense and it should be private case not a criminal one. Just my opinion.

There's a big difference between fact and opinion. The American expanded his initial complaint about corkage ( trivial ) to an opinion on the treatment of staff. Several other posters have said their experience was good, again opinions. Truth can only be based on fact.

[Staxer]

Looks like American arrogance ! Hey man I ain't paying corkage I'm from the USA!  

[robblok]

11 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

There's a big difference between fact and opinion. The American expanded his initial complaint about corkage ( trivial ) to an opinion on the treatment of staff. Several other posters have said their experience was good, again opinions. Truth can only be based on fact.

True, its his opinion but in this case it was clear he was out to destroy this hotel. I mean leave a bad review be done with it. But not this guy multiple reviews over time, clearly a campaign to destroy the hotel. The hotel tried to play nice at first trying to contact (as proven in this topic). When he did not respond they went for the law. 

 

IMHO it was not smart but the only thing they could do to stop this guy.

[RJRS1301]

1 hour ago, Eindhoven said:

 

Once again; where is the Thai person in all of this? Perhaps I have missed it. So far I have seen only foreigner on foreigner interaction. Not a single Thai name involved. F&B Manager; foreigner. Person who replied to the review; foreigner.

So what does this have to do with Thais? I haven't looked into it, so correct me if I am wrong.

The establishment is a Thai Hotel

[Justgrazing]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Across the world from Europe to Australia and the US the case has been creating negative headlines for Thailand's tourism industry,

Unavoidable , undeniable reality is the tourism industry has created a lot of negative publicity for itself down the yrs with some of it's blatant ripping of tourists .. 

like the double pricing we all encounter in one way or another fr'instance .. the bitching about this is just deflection from deep rooted malpractices towards ff'rangs and tourist's that have been commonplace in Thailand for eons  .. 

Edited October 1, 2020 by Justgrazing
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[RichardColeman]

Unfortunately for Thailand this is now in the western media, and tourists do not favour threats of prison for a bad review 

[Eindhoven]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

And who owns the hotel and instructed the ‘F&B Manager’ to report to the Police and file a Defamation suit?

 

It is a certainty that an employee of a hotel is not going to take legal action against a guest without instruction from the owner. 

 

Tell me then; who owns it? Did you read what I wrote? Was it the F&B Manager who replied? If it wasn't, who was it?

[DrTuner]

What, Thai resorts are the winners, from now on nobody dares to give anything but five stars. Think of all the face gained.

 

I can already see the reception clerk giving the poor tourist a dirty look with a "You give five star naaaaaa ... or else, Na Khaaaa!" complete with the Thai grin and high wai.

Edited October 1, 2020 by DrTuner

[DrTuner]

6 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Unfortunately for Thailand this is now in the western media, and tourists do not favour threats of prison for a bad review 

They should be used to the idea by now, as they'll arrive straight to prison for two weeks.

[Justgrazing]

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Bag snatching was rife in Benidorm

I must have been unlucky when I went .. no one wanted to snatch the old bag I was with .. 

[Laughing Gravy]

4 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I can remember leaving a bad review of a Thai hotel once on Agoda, place was a s##thole. Rusty cold water, damp linen, perfunctory cleaning. Maybe I was lucky not to be charged with defamation too.

What is the point of having a review section if you can't put what you feel is correct. if that is the case then it should read only good reviews are allowed. I rarely bother with reviews but the odd time that i have had diabolical service or very good service,I have posted on Trip advisor and Agoda. After all that's what a review is about.

 

You take the rough with the smooth and as usual this Thai owner can only see past their nose. They have brought this unwarranted bad press on themselves and o0nn the Thai tourist industry.

 

Maybe the TAT should take this hotel owner to the courts for defaming the tourist industry. I wouldn't put it past them for this childish action.

[Laughing Gravy]

48 minutes ago, robblok said:

IMHO it was not smart but the only thing they could do to stop this guy.

How about ignoring his posts like adults do or even better respond in a professional manner on Tripadvisor and explain the full story.

 

But no behave like a spoiled child who can't stand any form of criticism, justified or not. Who has now the worlds attention and has made a right mess of things.

[Wongkitlo]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

That is what i mean your doing your best and then get accused of things like theft. I really hate stuff like that. That is why i have little sympathy for the American. He was on a campaign to do damage to this hotel. Had he just left 1 review then so be it he vented and that is it.

 

Thanks. It is definitely true with what you are saying. It can be soul destroying. I just think if the hotel ignored him people would just say he is a crazy. They seem to be getting the bad end of the situation. I'd guess that they underestimated the lengths that the RTP would go to to get the guy. Dragging him back to Koh Chang was extreme. If they just warned him I'm sure the situation would have disappeared in no time.

[Wongkitlo]

1 hour ago, rott said:

The law does not differentiate between lies and honesty, "out to damage another" is against the law. 

All about context and scale really. 

In the west there is an innocent till proven guilty ethic but in Thailand it is guilty till proven innocent. The court of Google and Social media is worse. The authorities are a bunch of kids who have no experience in life except sitting in their rooms playing computers.

[Eindhoven]

28 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

The establishment is a Thai Hotel

 

With a foreigner as a General Manager. Though they seem to have two General Managers. One foreigner and one Thai. F&B Manager also a foreigner.

 

Either way, here is their side of the story: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VZCwyULmkLpZ7y5nT5wsaX0mn8waPd4H/view

 

Perhaps Wesley B can publish his in due time.

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

In whichever fraction the hotel is owned...  If there is any foreign investor at all which you have implied there is (49%).

 

Or have you simply failed to think before punching the keyboard ?

 

 

 

I responded to the guy that said it was instigated by foreigners, of course it was'nt! I never fail to THINK! Thank you!

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

In whichever fraction the hotel is owned...  If there is any foreign investor at all which you have implied there is (49%).

 

Or have you simply failed to think before punching the keyboard ?

 

 

 

Do you honestly think I am unaware as to WHO holds the 49% and WHO owns the 50%? ????

[Eindhoven]

12 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

I responded to the guy that said it was instigated by foreigners, of course it was'nt! I never fail to THINK! Thank you!

 

You have no idea; so why imply that you do? 

[Eindhoven]

6 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Do you honestly think I am unaware as to WHO holds the 49% and WHO owns the 50%? ????

Tells us; it doesn't break any rules.

[tukadadoll]

Do we know the name of this hotel?

[PatOngo]

Just now, Eindhoven said:

Tells us; it doesn't break any rules.

 

2 minutes ago, Eindhoven said:

 

You have no idea; so why imply that you do? 

Your superior intellect leaves me cowering! ????

[GeilGeilertzen]

Just

scrap TripAdvisor for whole Thailand.  Would suit me well so the future tourism could be halved or more ????

[Eindhoven]

Just now, PatOngo said:

 

Your superior intellect leaves me cowering! ????

 

I thought so. Just bluff and bluster. No need. No one thinks the less of you if you don't know. But they won't think much of someone who claims they know, but really don't.

 

 

[Eindhoven]

5 minutes ago, tukadadoll said:

Do we know the name of this hotel?

 

Yes, we do. Go back a couple of pages....or to post #78.

Edited October 1, 2020 by Eindhoven

[SchuetzRob]

5 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

It took how long for the media to figure this out?!  Idiot, ugly american, walnut brain, whatever you want to label him. All  it did was reveal the mean spirited vindictive nature that is sadly an aspect of Thai culture. This is not going to win them any vacationers.

 

Hey lets go to Thailand, where they might toss me in the clink for a tripadvisor review, or find a bullet in my luggage. Yes a local Philadelphia TV channel mentioned both ???? this week (per vinny m). Those Teflon Thailand days have passed, long ago.

 

Hmm..... Go to Thailand now and you definitely end up locked up for 14 days.... I am waiting for the first trip advisor reviews on this... The resort owner may not have done himself a favour, but the american seems also to have displayed an ample amount of mean spirited vindictive nature ????????

[John Drake]

2 hours ago, rott said:

I have never been to Koh Chang but am now considering going and staying at that hotel. 

Been saving up your 7 Eleven stamps I see.

[miamiman123]

Same as car dealer like Ford that did bad repairs.... can’t criticize the car dealer in Thailand 

Edited October 1, 2020 by miamiman123
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