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

[Bangkok Barry]

From what I read earlier, the customer went over the top with his review(s) of the hotel. If the hotel management had half a brain they would have responded by saying how disappointed they were not to have satisfied him - and then point out that other reviewers had enjoyed a far better experience. Many hotels and restaurants have one or two bad reviews among them. Suck it up.

 

But no - arrest that man.

[DrTuner]

36 minutes ago, camble said:

I'm on Koh Chang now, at The Dewa. The Emerald Cove Resort is also very good. Stay at these places and you won't have to worry about leaving a bad review. I haven't stayed at the Sea View for 12 years. 

Emerald Cove was ok, but it's a bit in the middle of nowhere. Ended up driving and parking at Kai Bae often for food.

[4MyEgo]

8 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Did I state the person who made the complaint is Thai? 

Not at all, my post was just clarifying that it was not a Thai hotel owner for others to understand, e.g. TVF did not mention that and hence the reason for the Thai bashing, not that you had anything to do with.

 

Just clearing the air as post can sometimes be misread.

[Expat Tom]

It is only a matter of time until all of us posting on this blog will be hunted down and deported. I am mending my evil ways as of now: "Thailand is perfect! The people in charge are brilliant! Anyone complaining about ANY thing in Thailand should be deported and banned. Thailand is the cultural and intellectual center of the universe"!!! 

 

I have mended my evil ways. Please allow me to stay for a few more months!!! 

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, 2long said:

From what I can gather, the guy appeared to be set on writing a barrage of reviews, both on TA and on Google, using new/fake accounts, and maybe help from friends. That (not a couple of negative reviews) and the words slavery and coronavirus are what worried the resort and inspired them to reach out, as well as replying to his TA review. IMO if he had left just one bad review on each platform, nothing would have happened. It was the threat of continuous bad reviews that worried them.

Or the hotel could have responded by saying they were disappointed that his experience had not matched that of their other guests. Simple as that. Really. But we all know how Thais like to complicate even the simplest of things, even down to what colour ink you use to fill in their official forms.

[impulse]

11 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

From what I read earlier, the customer went over the top with his review(s) of the hotel. If the hotel management had half a brain they would have responded by saying how disappointed they were not to have satisfied him - and then point out that other reviewers had enjoyed a far better experience. Many hotels and restaurants have one or two bad reviews among them. Suck it up.

 

But no - arrest that man.

 

How do you propose the hotel keep track of dozens of venues where the guy may be planting his bad reviews and false accusations?  It seems he wasn't limiting his posting to the booking venue he actually used, where the hotel owner could respond as you suggested.  He was planting falsehoods all over the interweb.

 

I don't blame the hotel for filing the complaint against the guy, especially for his claim of "slave labor".  I fault the Thai legal system that leaves no options other than the nuclear option.  Defamation should be a civil offense, subject to injunctive relief and even reparations, but not jail time.

 

[Chongalulu]

6 hours ago, ballpoint said:

The type of person who hates on Thailand due to this story is the type of person Thailand can do without, and a loud, arrogant "tourist" had some time to cool off in jail. So win, win in my book. 

Explain exactly how this worldwide bad publicity translates as a 'win' for a Thai tourist industry currently on its backside?

[Flying Saucage]

7 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

54 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

As @impulse pointed out in a post above, the hotel is owned by a foreigner and not a Thai national.

 

TVF didn't mention that and looks like TVF members were quick off the mark to go the Thai's.............I think sometimes we have to research a little before leaving out the finer details, suffice to say it's not the Thai's fault for the actions of this owner and the customer, just two stubborn people not seeing eye to eye in the LOS which has smeared it's reputation somewhat, perhaps Thai's should start sueing them and the newspapers for not reporting the full story, e.g. foreign owner of a Thai hotel suing American expat/tourist on a Thai island. 

 

Wesley Barnes stayed at Sea View Koh Chang in late June and said he had a disagreement with a foreign restaurant manager over a corkage fee for a bottle of gin he brought to dinner.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-01/american-arrested-in-thailand-over-bad-review-of-hotel/12716776

Did I state the person who made the complaint is Thai? 

 

Of course the Czech guy is not the owner. The hotel is owned by Phisut Ratanawong, who obviously is Thai, and known to be one of the most powerful and influential men on Koh Chang. 

 

The Czech guy is just an employed manager. It is naive to believe that it was this foreigner who started to involve the defamation law and the police. This guy just did as he was told by his boss.

 

Anyone who knows Thailand should also know about the status and power of these influential families, and that this infamous law was create by/for them to protect their often controversial businesses against any offence form outside. 

[rkidlad]

5 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Not at all, my post was just clarifying that it was not a Thai hotel owner for others to understand, e.g. TVF did not mention that and hence the reason for the Thai bashing, not that you had anything to do with.

 

Just clearing the air as post can sometimes be misread.

The hotel lodged the charge. 

[Aspaltso]

Both sides were quite foolish. The tourist thought he could use TripAdvisor to "weaponize" his grievences against the hotel, while the hotel went far beyond it's needed approach by going after an arrest. State of tourism; foolish tourists, and foolish hotels.

[mikeymike100]

This article was not only published in the New York times, but many international media took it up, including the BBC, CNN, Guardian and more.

Now the whole world seemingly knows about this ridiculous mess. I am not saying who is in the right or wrong here but now, who will stay at that hotel?

The American spent time in jail and could face a hefty fine and more time in jail, which will no doubt be reported all over.

The best practice for the hotel would be to forget it and let it go, also for the police to do the same. Maybe give the guy a free weekend in the hotel to try and make 'friends', this would be good for everyone involved!

[soalbundy]

8 hours ago, Jack Mountain said:

Conceited as the Thai are, they 'think' that Thailand is in the middle of everything and for once (a few days) they are right. ROFLOL

They aren't conceited (except the hi-so's) they are very unsure of themselves. especially regarding the West, they always seem to be seeking praise or confirmation of their abilities, if criticised they take it deeply to heart.

[NightSky]

I looked on the seaview website the other day and there are special offers available...

 

I was thinking oooer this looks nice and then I saw it..

 

...offers available ONLY for Thai citizens.

 

I will have to keep my cash to spend elsewhere.

 

They shoot themselves in the foot sometimes.

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by NightSky

[paul1804]

None of us really know the full story so there is most likely fault on both sides so before a major Thai versus farang war of words and insults goes any further remember a few things.

1) the customer got personal 

2) don’t you think 4 reviews is a little excessive

3) the hotel really shouldn’t have got the police involved but merely stated their side of the story in a responding review and warned others of the real situation if they were in the right!

Now you have international news to the detriment of Thailand and tourism here. Thais and farangs having a go at each other which is crazy and only make a bad situation worse. Sadly we know Thais hate to loose face but they have been that way for centuries and it’s not about to change so get used to it, a lot of farangs just love having a go at them about anything they can. So we should all take a deep breath, accept the fact that the tourist and the hotel had a fall out and send the guy back to where he came from after both parties apologize to each other. Alternatively Thai tourism should jump in and mediate with common sense and settle the matter amicably and to the satisfaction of both parties. I am sure both would like to be able to turn the clock back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tuktukracer]

Sounds like he received an unwanted upgrade to the "Koh Chang Hilton" 

Edited October 1, 2020 by tuktukracer

[spidermike007]

Not accurate information. The fallout was not from the bad reviews. They happen every day, all over the world. They would have barely been noticed, if these hotel idiots had not filed that cowardly defamation suit, and the ridiculous caricature of the police, had not arrested the tourist. That was irrevocably insane, and Thailand is simply reaping the rewards of a monstrously irresponsible judicial system, that tolerates such unbelievably low thresholds for proof of defamation. 

 

So, who suffers? The resort has done untold damage to itself, and they deserve that. Hopefully, the hotel will never recover. They don't deserve that. And as far as the police go, dumb and dumber, and not really law enforcement, in any sense of the word. More like revenue collection agents. 

Edited October 1, 2020 by spidermike007

[AussieinThaiJim]

This guy deserves what he gets. He posted many reviews insinuating staff being treated like slaves etc etc!

i hope the foreign press report the matter accurately!

[tuktukracer]

Does this type of action set a scary precedent for forums such as this where people believe they have the freedom to voice their own opinion but in reality they don't under these ridiculously harsh defamation laws.  A number of comments in this thread could be legally challenged under the same type of principal/law.... it is a bit worrying, I have to say.

Edited October 1, 2020 by tuktukracer

[kuzmabruk]

9 hours ago, DirtyHarry55 said:

They talk about multiple bad reviews but does anyone know exactly how many bad reviews he posted in Total?
My understanding is he posted the 1st very bad one on Tripadvisor which the Hotel had removed by Tripadvisor for violating Rules.

So he posted another on Trip Advisor which wasn't removed and wasn't as bad as the first also he posted 2 on Google so

that's a total of just 4 with one removed and the last 3 were not as bad as the first.
If I am upset with an online company I also post multiple bad reviews to warn others.
Ps User reviews are always only personal opinions and not stating facts.
If only good reviews are allowed then there's no pint in having reviews.

I posted a valid bad review on Lazada with pictures of the defective product.  The seller removed it.   I called Lazada to ask how that is possible.   I was told “in Thailand Lazada allows sellers to delete reviews they do not like”.   Trump would love it here.   

[NoshowJones]

6 hours 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.

I read somewhere on Thaivisa that farangs cannot sue for defamation, but now it seems that is wrong as the guy is a Czeck, no Thais involved here at all.

Just out of interest, can a farang sue another farang for defamation under the Thai defamation law?

[baansgr]

The adult and proffesional way would have been to reply his comments on Trip Advisor with their side of the storey and if possible make him look a fool. Police reporting, arrests, gaol time..they deserve any negativity they get

[ChipButty]

2 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I read somewhere on Thaivisa that farangs cannot sue for defamation, but now it seems that is wrong as the guy is a Czeck, no Thais involved here at all.

Just out of interest, can a farang sue another farang for defamation under the Thai defamation law?

Yep, if you pay enough money

[P100]

9 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Shooting themselves in the foot seems to be a cultural thing too! 

Thai's hobby ....

[Christie Paul]

I'm not sure that it matters much - there's not much of a reputation left.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Flying Saucage said:

The Czech guy is just an employed manager. It is naive to believe that it was this foreigner who started to involve the defamation law and the police. This guy just did as he was told by his boss.

If that's the case, then they deserve all they get, unfortunately they will take a lot of others down with them with their its all about me, me, and me loss of face attitude......karma !

[Sean60]

The biggest loser is the Thai Justice system. 

People are thinking how on earth the police can arrest someone for giving his opinion? It is the justice system of Thailand which is under question. That in return will have an impact on Tourism!!!!

 

[Jack Cook]

Some more Thai absurdity. Why would any potential tourist even bother. Far better places for the average tourist to visit now anyway. Thailand has been on the slide for western tourists now for a few years. Leave it for the Chinese.

 

[Morty T]

Yes, even here in the back waters of Boston, Mass. This story has gone viral, but even more resounding is the follow up stories of double pricing, corruption, pollution, rampant scams and lawlessness which Thailand has come to represent. 

[animatic]

10 hours ago, YetAnother said:

thais consider being criticized as loss of face; not allowable in their culture

Yes, but things like TripAdvisor are world wide and so not in Thai Culture.

They have a choice, not submit their business to the world market

via web sites that also provide bookings and feedback, 

or don't because you are too thin skinned to deal with the world

as if it were NOT controlled by Thai Culture.

 

The second aspect is that they likely caused the thing to go very bad with the customer

by treating him in a way that might have saved their face by not backing down,

but ticked him off far beyond their wildest expectations.

 

 Well likely in the 'American Way of thinking', the staff made him lose face

and he was not backing down. He felt abused and maltreated from

the waiter to the head man. They didn't handle the customer as an

individual with a specific set of expectations, and treated him as if he

was one of them. Clearly the wrong way to do it. 

 

But Now, with these ' I can't back down, I've lost too much face police charges',

they have made it an International Incident about thai intolerance

in the tourism sector, and all other externally viewed discrepancies; "stories of double pricing, corruption, pollution, rampant scams and lawlessness", 

 get tagged into world wide articles about this.

Shoot off your face to spite your mouth.

 

Now they are willing to settle, but they COULD have settled it while he

was still there,or soon after, they both got their backs up and it became

a wildly ridiculous, world wide story an

individual's feeling of abuse / against a corporations managements ego. 

 

In America there is a phrase. "The customer is always right."

Something rarely understood in Thailand in my experience.

Som nom na!

 

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by animatic

[3NUMBAS]

los is still stuck in the dark ages and the laughing stock of the modern world .when will they use some sense ,i am not hopefull they ever will