Thai hotel threatens customer with ฿3m lawsuit over bad review

[MrJ2U]

Another reason to avoid Thai owned and operated hotels.

 

 

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

3 hours ago, Artisi said:

see you are very well versed in Thai ways, give it a few more years and you might get it all together.... 

I'm reminded of a defunct news website called The Korat Post. Some longer term expats will remember it. It was run by some idealistic American that ended up getting a defamation case filed against him. I can't remember what it was all about, something to do with a police colonel suing him for defamation.  It all got nasty and I'm sure it was very unpleasant for him and his wife. . . but there never seems to be an end to these foreigners that should be old enough to know better. You can't transfer your ideals to Thailand and expect them to fit snugly into place. He ended up shutting down his rinky dink website, bleating on about it being the death of his freedoms or something like that, but it was because there was a total lack of interest in it, not just in the English language sphere but locally (Thai). The reality is nobody gives a shjt about some old farang wagging his finger at locals and if you put it online you get a harsh lesson in 'Thainess'.

 

 

 

 

[SiSePuede419]

Just read about someone in America left a bad review while they were staying there.

 

The hotel owner called the police to evict them in the middle of the night. 

 

No reason needed.

 

100% legal, unfortunately.

 

The difference is in America, you can edit your review and describe how you were thrown out in the street after leaving a bad review.

 

If anyone else stays at that hotel, it's their own fault. 

[cheapcanuck]

So the website deleted the post. Why bother in posting an honest review if it's going to be deleted. Would Bo nice to know the website so I not waste my time in posting reviews on it's website.

[koele2]

If the manager of the hotel is not the owner, the manager will probably be losing his job pretty soon.  This is way too much negative press and the hotel is gonna lose customers.  The hotels response went way past normal.

[tomazbodner]

Admittedly, there are some negative reviews of the hotel on Agoda. And the hotel response looks "normal"... like thank you for letting us know, we'll improve, etc. That's something that gives confidence to other guests to book their holidays there. Suing someone for bad review certainly does not, unless that is done with malicious intent, based on lies/misinformation, and usually you could see that from the tone of the review, to which you can respond in a reaffirming fashion - if room did not look as new as on the photo, if food didn't taste good, if staff was rude... that's all the thing where you ask the customer to reach out to you directly to learn more information, so you can address the situation.

 

Whoever from this hotel chose to use defamation laws to sue the customers has really damaged the reputation and future business of this place for some time to come. Although... people have short memory. I remember for example there was some beef between some hotel and guest on Koh Chang, but don't remember which hotel. So if I was booking now (6 months? later) it would be unlikely I'd remember who to avoid. So maybe it won't be hurting them that much. And worst case they could just change the name. Ozone to Oxygen or whatever...

[andyman57]

Takes stupidity to another level

[Dont confuse me]

If the hotel isn't as described or the service/amenities aren't up to scratch then a bad review is inevitable.

Providing the review isn't exaggerated and constructed criticism where possible is left, I honestly don't see what the problem is?

I've left several bad reviews, far worse than a 6-10 and never had any problems.

Hopefully the young lady is shown to be right in her actions.

Seeing this a Thai vs Thai issue perhaps the platform she left the review may also have been Thai operated which could explain why/how the offending review has been removed!

Free press my A$$

[curlylekan]

I'm glad we don't read about these stories daily. I stayed at my share of places I've rated them less than 6 and I never encountered this problem4. From now on,  I'll be waiting till I return to my original country to start writing reviews. 

 

And hotel owners: These reviews are partly there to help you make the guest experience better for the next person. You can't please everyone, but I'm sure there is always room for improvement. Plus, a 6 out of 10 really is not that bad. On the other hand, the reviewer from last year went a bit overboard in his review, though no one should be shamed and made to pay money for writing what they think is the truth. 

[cncltd1973]

12 hours ago, inThailand said:

Yup, it's now politically incorrect to be honest. The world has gone bonkers? 

technically, honesty can be criminal in Thailand - the farang that left a bad review awhile ago was jailed! this Thai woman is fortunate she is still free, for now... ????

[wealthychef]

I think the hotel should keep in mind that in other countries, people can review their allegedly nasty, dirty dingy and unhelpful hotel any way they please, don't even have to give honest reviews.  Some might be inclined to do so just out of solidarity.  Just saying.  

[ericthai]

14 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I have a great business idea..... 

 

I’m going to start a really crappy restaurant or hotel.....   I’m going to be impolite and pretty awful to visitors... 

 

Then I’ll sue each and every person who leaves a negative review.....  It could be quite an earner !!!! 

 

 

 

I'm in, you could start a franchise..

[ericthai]

12 hours ago, Surasak said:

Writing a review, good or bad on a booking site in my personal experience, is not the right thing to do. I have made a few complaints and given compliments in my time and prefer to make them in person at the highest possible level at the time. Compliments are usually met with gratitude. Complaints well, they are received varyingly from profuse apologies to down right objection.

The main thing either way is to be positive and polite.

I have had some refunds, and upgrades by taking the person to one side out of earshot and put over the case with truthful facts, and pointing out you are not wanting to cause a scene.

If one has to write, again put over the facts and in both cases make no threats. Always put the ball in their court and you will mostly come out on top. Threats should be a very last resort.

Just my five pence worth.

guess you dont understand how reviews works..

People write a review to give other people looking at that hotel their opinions. 

 

I always read reviews on a hotel before I book.  Most of the time I ignore the top review and the bottom review and check 2-3-4 star ratings. I think this gives a more accurate picture of a place. Some people you will never satisfy and the top I always figure it's staff, owners, owner friends etc. 

 

What you're doing is good, but I'm sure any hotel would want your review online. By not posting a review online you're not helping the hotel get more customers, or possible lose customers...

[Joules]

I wonder when people will start being victimized by lawsuits for giving one star reviews to bad products on Lazada?

[RichardColeman]

This has given me a great plan for the wife claiming asylum in the UK.

 

1. Holiday UK

2, Write bad hotel review.

3. Claim asylum In UK for fear of 3 billion baht lawsuit

[ChipButty]

Ive just been reading through some of their reviews in the first 5 pages there is a few bad reviews and poor ratings down 2.0 and 3.6 one thing I did notice the same names keep popping up in the reviews coincidence or what?

[RocketDog]

18 hours ago, Mavideol said:

are you saying that we can say anything but the truth ... what a way to go

No, he's outlining a legal defense strategy. It assumes that each person is entitled to their own subjective observations.

Saying "the food is sh*t" is stated as a fact. Saying "the food did not meet my taste standard" is simply demonstrating that this is an opinion which cannot be easily twisted into a criticism.

 

Astute readers will still take heed and read between the lines after seeing several such negative 'opinions' in that review.

I think it's a clever strategy.

[Stargeezer]

Its good if you own a hotel...you can never be wrong.

Ive stayed in a few places that have been <deleted>...booked on agoda...I've left bad reviews ..no comeback.

Annoying thing about hotel websites...a hotel can have a lot of negative reviews...yet there still try sell it to you

[peter zwart]

20 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Agreed,..... 

 

The Defamation laws are wholly damaging to Thailand on multiple levels enabling laziness, poor service, corruption and graft.

 

And of course the other one.... 

 

And there then is the ‘Kraeng Jai’ effect where respect is awarded on expectations, seniority, age etc rather than based on any merit of character and genuine achievement.

"And there then is the ‘Kraeng Jai’ effect where respect is awarded on expectations, seniority, age etc "

As a grandfather i can say thats a good thing

[VocalNeal]

A customer who complains is more valuable than one who does not. 

 

The complaints can be answered or rectified by the business , which leads to disgruntled customer telling friends about how the business responded which leads to more customers.

 

All this litigation hints at how lazy the hotel management is that they cannot be bothered to respond to customer complaints.

 

I have a friend whose job is to address complaints, comments that customers make about his (employer's) hotel group.

 

But there is a subculture of bad reviewers for financial gain. I have another friend who used to trade gemstones online. An eBay customer gave a unfair bad review and when challenged by my friend the guy wanted $5000 to delete/change his review.

[paulikens]

13 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Face it seems is more important than logic and common sense,

@darksidedog  Common sense and logic is non-existent in Thailand.

[Smokey and the Bandit]

13 hours ago, steven100 said:

sorry .... that costs money and Thais don't give anything free that costs them money.

I believe you are correct, but it would have meant no bad publicity, good publicity in fact and potential new bookings, ergo more money!

[Hanuman2547]

Well, if you're a farang tourist just wait until you get back to your home country.  Then write your negative review.  

[cyril sneer]

comments blocked but quite a few reactions on their page

 

[Bruno123]

28 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

comments blocked but quite a few reactions on their page

 

Oooooo...plastic furniture to go with the up to 4000 baht 28sq. m. room. What a bargain!

 

With hindsight, they probably would have left it alone.

Now they have planted their name firmly in the mud. Perhaps people will go to see what all the fuss is about....at a big discount. 1,500 baht seems about right for a 28sq. m room and plastic pool furniture.

 

They seem to agree; but just the price up for certain times.

 

 

 

 

 

They might need to keep it at the lower price to attract people back ???? 

[Artisi]

12 hours ago, koele2 said:

If the manager of the hotel is not the owner, the manager will probably be losing his job pretty soon.  This is way too much negative press and the hotel is gonna lose customers.  The hotels response went way past normal.

Not way past, that is normal.... 

[Harveyboy]

Hope you had a nice stay at our Hotel..please rate us..If You Dare  only on thailand 

[Stargeezr]

I stayed in a place in Khao Yai and had a great weekend. It was individual cabins, and was

quiet and a good clean place to stay. My Thai relatives had booked it and my wife paid for our cabin

  which was a great price.  We ate at a hotel in the area that had a fancy restaurant, and the food was delicious as well,

it looked like the rooms would be expensive, but I cannot remember the name.

  Great scenery in that area. well worth the drive out of Bangkok for the weekend.

[Harveyboy]

23 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

6/10......

Geeze, I'd hate to see what threats she would have received if the rating was 1 or 2 out 10

 

i wish i could stay in hotels that get a 6 ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

[itsari]

Persons that send reviews that are not honest can be sued in the western world  . The  woman's review in this case I have no idea if it is true to the facts or not .

Many replies here seem to think it is only Thailand that you have the chance to be sued from leaving a negative review.