TripAdvisor slaps warning on Thailand's 'Sea View Resort & Spa' review page

[Stargeezr]

Thanks to Mark 131, this American jerk, did more than just complain about his

corkage fee. He ranted on about the owners character, and morals, as well 

as posted out right lies of the situation.  The hotel should have tried to handle the

American differently, but his constant lies are not just critical they were hurtful in

many ways.  Time will pass and the hotel will get many more visitors, and the

American will likely remain a bully and jerk, after all, look at the Trump affair in the USA.

Some people just will not change.

Geezer

[mark131v]

7 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Thanks to Mark 131, this American jerk, did more than just complain about his

corkage fee. He ranted on about the owners character, and morals, as well 

as posted out right lies of the situation.  The hotel should have tried to handle the

American differently, but his constant lies are not just critical they were hurtful in

many ways.  Time will pass and the hotel will get many more visitors, and the

American will likely remain a bully and jerk, after all, look at the Trump affair in the USA.

Some people just will not change.

Geezer

 

 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2020 by mark131v
Too easy...

[mark131v]

12 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

 

   He is not going to jail, he got released without being charged 

 

After spending a weekend in a cell, cretin....

 

#thickasmince...

[Jeffr2]

46 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Thanks to Mark 131, this American jerk, did more than just complain about his

corkage fee. He ranted on about the owners character, and morals, as well 

as posted out right lies of the situation.  The hotel should have tried to handle the

American differently, but his constant lies are not just critical they were hurtful in

many ways.  Time will pass and the hotel will get many more visitors, and the

American will likely remain a bully and jerk, after all, look at the Trump affair in the USA.

Some people just will not change.

Geezer

Tripadvisor removes posts like that if the owner reports them.  Easy to do. This owner went overboard.  Yes, the customer did also.  But going to jail over that?  A bit harsh considering the whole purpose of TA is for people to comment on their stay.  It's a dodgy situation, with competitors posting harsh comments, etc.  But, there is benefit from this site if you filter out the BS. 

 

I see the reviews for this property are now hidden.  This hotel is toast.  As it should be.

 

P.S. just read some reviews on another site.  It's filled with complaints about staff and management.  Even some about being able to get a wine opener, opening their own bottle, etc.  So it seems this guy isn't the only one who's had problems with service there.

Edited November 12, 2020 by Jeffr2

[GinBoy2]

Well done, bet it felt good flexing that long arm of the defamation law.

 

Left alone this idiots reviews would have just been buried along with all the others. But no, in true Thai style they had to 'save' face.

 

Bad enough that the original story made international news, the TripAdvisor warning has made it global again.

 

I wonder how their fellow hoteliers in Thailand feel towards them?

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54914768

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/11/world/asia/thailand-hotel-tripadvisor-jail.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/12/tripadvisor-warns-users-over-thai-hotel-that-sued-guest-for-bad-review

https://nypost.com/2020/11/11/tripadvisor-puts-warning-on-thai-hotel-that-had-guest-jailed/

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/tripadvisor-warns-thai-hotel-american-jailed-critical-review

 

 

....and it goes on and on!

Edited November 12, 2020 by GinBoy2

[Showtime]

Hey, I was the one who broke this news not Admin.

[rioD]

 

The owner of the establishment used his local connections to try silencing a critic, however the world is larger than the local community and draconian/petty laws of Thailand.  Therefore the owner will experience the fallout for having thin skin and shady associates.  I know I'd never consider staying at that resort  

[Blumpie]

It seems like the Land of Smiles is turning into the land of black eyes.

Let me assure you, not only are people going to be literally begging for tourists when COVID starts to get under control.  I wonder why anyone would want to go to Thailand after all this.  The competition in SE asia is big.  I mean, go to Bali or Malaysia before Thailand.  

 

Things like this are going to set Thailand back big time.  Will the government care?

 

No.

[Blumpie]

4 minutes ago, rioD said:

 

The owner of the establishment used his local connections to try silencing a critic, however the world is larger than the local community and draconian/petty laws of Thailand.  Therefore the owner will experience the fallout for having thin skin and shady associates.  I know I'd never consider staying at that resort  

They may as well shut down.  

[mark131v]

1 minute ago, rioD said:

 

The owner of the establishment used his local connections to try silencing a critic, however the world is larger than the local community and draconian/petty laws of Thailand.  Therefore the owner will experience the fallout for having thin skin and shady associates.  I know I'd never consider staying at that resort  

 

Unfortunately the owner is minted, he will not be at all bothered about this however when the hotel start's to suffer due to his petulance the staff, especially the Cambodian's at the bottom of the ladder will be hurt, tragic really but par for the course in Thailand...

[cheapcanuck]

A little taste of their own medicine. I love it. Tussle with the bull you better expect to get the horns. I bet Thailand as a whole is feeling pretty small about now. 

[mark131v]

2 minutes ago, cheapcanuck said:

A little taste of their own medicine. I love it. Tussle with the bull you better expect to get the horns. I bet Thailand as a whole is feeling pretty small about now. 

 

They thought they could treat the rest of the world the same way they treat the serfs, ain't karma a splendid and beautiful bitch!!!

 

[ChipButty]

28 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

They may as well shut down.  

Plenty of other OTA web sites, like Booking.com

[peter zwart]

21 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Great idea. Warn of this specific hotel and how you may go to jail for writing bad reviews about them. Let’s see how many people wanna go somewhere where you (the customer) has to be careful and be on your best behavior. 

Som. Num. Na. 

 

 

 

 

Its not only a hotel people will avoid. Im afraid that a lot of people will avoid the whole of Thailand. Even in Europe people start to talk about Thailand. And not in the good way. So sad to see that Thailand is killing itself and sell their soul to the (chinese) devil.

 

Edited November 13, 2020 by peter zwart

[Disillusioned farang]

Well done TA ! What good is a positive only review platform ? If naming and shaming was not so much of a problem in Thailand maybe the general service would improve . 
and let’s face it it needs too ! 
second rate service greedy overcharging followed by instant aggression when mentioned is not really the way forward in the service industry . 

[John Drake]

20 hours ago, 2long said:

they're not going around getting everyone thrown in jail and they didn't want this guy thrown in jail.

 

How do you know what they've done in the past? Perhaps they intimidated past reviewers with threats leading to jail. You don't know. Perhaps the negative reviews you see are from people who have left Thai legal jurisdiction. You don't know.  

[hellohello123]

6 hours ago, Why Me said:

Barnes was probably unpleasant but service-oriented businesses deal with such customers on a daily basis. The front-office staff are, or should be, trained to diffuse confrontations quickly and quietly. Filing suit should not be an option unless the guest has committed assault or physical damage.

 

As for damaging reviews, those who use sites like TripAdvisor are perfectly capable of sifting rants from the thoughtful write-ups. Barnes's reviews, especially over the top ones along the lines of "modern day slavery", would only have had eyes rolling and caused little damage. Sea View knew all this yet chose to go after Barnes for reasons only they can say. Probably some immature fellow in management who thought it would be fun to teach the farang a lesson.

 

Well, now they are forked and deservedly so. It's their turn to grovel and/or pay up big time to have that "we jail critics" label taken off. 

exactly, being in the service industry, you deal with idiots, you deal with people who say the earth is flat,

a professional is to deal with them, not get into a fight/argument everytime there is a problem,

 

the only time you dont need to worry about blowback is when your business is that popular that you have a queue of customers out the door regardless (think of venues in touristy areas in top locations, who will always be busy)

[hellohello123]

3 hours ago, Grge Soul said:

I reviewed a boutique hotel in Phnom Phenh  (poor wifi, staff attitude, general crappiness) - later they replied with a full assault of nonsense on TA. 

 

I emailed the hotel manager and he admitted he did it out of face saving, and retracted their complaint on TA.

 

Honesty cannot be beaten.

after all of these years I still dont get this face saving garbage,

"saving face" = pathetic excuse, for people to justify lying/wrong doing/dishonest behavior?

 

so if you posted the hotels reply of lying to save face, whats their next step? lie again?

Edited November 13, 2020 by hellohello123

[hellohello123]

so hypothetically, if you go to a hotel in thaialnd and lets say the bed is covered in bed bugs, the shower mouldy, the manager is rude to you, you find a fly in your food, you order 4 beers , get charged for 5

take photos,

 

write a scathing factual review on TA, and 5 other review websites, with photos of evidence (except the manager being rude to you)

 

can the hotel do what the seaview lodge did?

 

[farangroby]

The reviewer was wrong, the resort has amplified the thing out of all proportion with the complaint and the rest, ta has acted as always going in favor of the reviewer, not respecting the agreement, while, instead, it would have the duty to highlight the risks that are run in Thailand, not only in that specific resort but also in all other activities.

In any case, freedom of expression is one thing, it is another thing to slander

[ChipButty]

10 minutes ago, hellohello123 said:

so hypothetically, if you go to a hotel in thaialnd and lets say the bed is covered in bed bugs, the shower mouldy, the manager is rude to you, you find a fly in your food, you order 4 beers , get charged for 5

take photos,

 

write a scathing factual review on TA, and 5 other review websites, with photos of evidence (except the manager being rude to you)

 

can the hotel do what the seaview lodge did?

 

I guess so with the right connections

[ben2talk]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

TripAdvisor slaps warning on Thailand's 'Sea View Resort & Spa' review page
By The Thaiger

 I do sympathise with the resort - I can imagine that this 'customer' was a PITA and behaved very badly... however it's much worse that the Law is open to be used in this country this way.

 

It's a dangerous thing in Thailand to make an 'honest' comment about any service and paves the way for a culture that means you pay what is asked, without any recourse to complain or refuse - whether you got it or not.

 

Takes me back to my first meal on arriving in Bangkok, I was unable to eat and my Thai friend tasted it and said it looked like they'd put a ton of salt in to render it inedible. Solution? My Thai friend paid cash when I had refused - that made me very angry.

 

Too long the people are simply dust under the feet not worthy to criticise.

Edited November 13, 2020 by ben2talk

[FritsSikkink]

16 hours ago, mark131v said:

 

Nope, for 4 reviews on 2 platforms over the period of a few weeks, get a grip...

He got help from a well known blogger who knows his girlfriend and spread the story world wide while omitting some very important facts. 

[JRinPDX]

22 hours ago, patman30 said:

cannot really fault TA at all here
they must warn their users of the consequences of leaving a negative review
especially when there is evidence they could face legal action from specific hotel owners or management, whilst on holiday or travelling
most people are not generally clued up on many laws in the foreign countries they visit.

the hotel in question did really shoot themselves in the foot on this occasion
it will likely be a very costly lesson for them

I think that to be fair, they should mention that this can happen anywhere in Thailand, not just this hotel.  People need to be aware and doing this would also soften the blow for this particular property. (IMHO)

[Speedhump]

3 hours ago, mark131v said:

 

Proper drama queens on here, honestly it's scary!

 

All you drama queens and hang em highs need to go and give your heads a good wobble, it’s pathetic and stupid and I am really glad Sea View have been found out…reap the whirlwind bitches!!!

 

 

Nah, TripAdvisor just buttering their own bread, their name was in the matter so they decided to make themselves look good. They didn't mention that the guy was conducting a  campaign against the hotel. No-one should want to or even be allowed to write more than one review for one stay somewhere. 

 

He got what he deserved. And I'm sure anyone who reads the hotel's very detailed and well written reply to his last comment (and to other comments) will understand that the hotel doesn't usually report guests to police. They seem to be quite attuned usually to guest complaints. 

 

I'd stay there if I thought the hotel was up to my standard generally, because I'm not a complete Tuesday who gets drunk and mouths off about hotel policy, and so would be fine. 

Edited November 13, 2020 by Speedhump
Speeling

[John Drake]

18 hours ago, Wuvu2 said:

TIT

I expect the hotel will simply close and re-open under a new identity

 

Which entails its own expenses. So they just keep paying, when all they had to do was let the matter drop. Dumb.

[Airalee]

7 hours ago, joecoolfrog said:

What option did they have , bar just being slandered and potentially losing a great deal of business.

Do note that the hotel did it's best to compromise , tried several times to contact the guy but were ignored.

In fact he continued to post untrue and vindictive reviews , is that acceptable to you ?

They should have put on their big boy pants and suck it up.  Perhaps, they should review all the negative reviews on TA (I did last night) and reflect on their establishment, customer service skills and overall corporate culture.  I suspect (after reading the negative reviews on TA) that there are many many people who don’t post negative reviews simply out of fear.

[Airalee]

7 minutes ago, Speedhump said:

They seem to be quite attuned usually to guest complaints. 

Actually, from reading the hotels responses to all the other negative reviews on the website yesterday, it appeared to me, to be quite the opposite.

[alyx]

6 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

I was guilty of all charges they bought upon me .

Criminal damage , abuse of police officers , attempted bribery of police  , attempted escape and various other things .

   I was given the option , admit to the minor crimes of criminal damage and get a small fine and a suspended jail  sentance and they would drop all the more serious charges which could get me years in jail .

  I accepted that , pled guilty and got a small fine and a suspended jail sentance .

  Just need to conform and go with the flow.

The Thai justice system is quite fair  

Well that kind of changes the vantage view don’t you think. You were expecting this kind of treatment whereas the guest of the hotel was not. Spending a night in jail after that is not the same as being picked up at home wondering why one is arrested and thrown in jail 

[alyx]

4 hours ago, Speedhump said:

I don't need to read 22 pages of posts to reply to one. The hotel was pushed beyond endurance by this aggressive man's highly unreasonable and sustained online attack. If the law is there to stop him then they certainly had the right to use it. 

 

Laws on defamation and similar in the UAE also are strict, and people learn by their mistakes. But it's still a major holiday destination, COVID excepted.

 

This is a fart in a teacup. 

I am going to allow myself one comment: No comment