Why you should never leave a negative hotel review in Thailand

[Harsh Jones]

4 minutes ago, stoner said:

ahh the good ol if you don't like it leave comment.

 

i ridicule things that need it. are you defending thai anti defamation laws ? or the mentality that made it possible ?  

 

Do you think there is no libel laws in the west or something ? You can just fly off the handle on anyone and its a-ok ?

[stoner]

Just now, Harsh Jones said:

Do you think there is no libel laws in the west or something ? You can just fly off the handle on anyone and its a-ok ?

apples and oranges. the laws are not the same at all and you know it. 

 

i can post a bad review for holiday inn at toronto airport and not have to worry about being sued. 

 

here you cannot. 

[Harsh Jones]

Thais see airing vindictive criticisms out in the open as just ill mannered and bad form. It is different from the west but I have zero problem with it. But some westerners seem to think that this view is just scandalous. How dare we not have our hissy fits! 

[gomangosteen]

We talked about this last night, in our years or travel here in Thailand and Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia there hasn't been a hotel/resort we wouldn't stay at again. Several we have re-visited, and recommended to friends.

One beach resort we've stayed at numerous times since 2011, lovely location, owners and rooms - just looked at their reviews and a recent '2-star complaint' was that the swimming pool should have been bigger. 

Edited July 7, 2023 by gomangosteen

[ChipButty]

19 minutes ago, gomangosteen said:

We talked about this last night, in our years or travel here in Thailand and Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia there hasn't been a hotel/resort we wouldn't stay at again. Several we have re-visited, and recommended to friends.

One beach resort we've stayed at numerous times since 2011, lovely location, owners and rooms - just looked at their reviews and the most recent '2-star complaint' was that the swimming pool should have been bigger. 

They want a refund because it's raining, Not my fault you booked in the monsoon season, 

[Felton Jarvis]

Common sense.  Thailand’s defamation laws can cause big trouble for farangs. Let it go!!!

[rupa]

All the review sites, as TripAdvisor, Google, etc...

should block Thailand so people cannot see anything anymore.

Less publicity is less customers... maybe their eyes will be open than.

[Darksidedude]

absolutely ridiculous

 

i would create a dummy account with no links to trace back and go for it slam the hell out of the establishment

[Darksidedude]

17 hours ago, LikeItHot said:

I gave a Thai guy the finger once in traffic.  He followed me for two weeks. 555

ha ha never do that in middle east countrys believe me

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, Darksidedude said:

ha ha never do that in middle east countrys believe me

Oh yes, been there, done that!

[Kwasaki]

11 minutes ago, Darksidedude said:

absolutely ridiculous

 

i would create a dummy account with no links to trace back and go for it slam the hell out of the establishment

Yeah I was kept being asked by Google to comment on places I had been and mostly just gave the place a star rating, even that brought trouble. 

So switch off what ever it was on my phone a  location thing I think.

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Kwasaki

[ChipButty]

1 hour ago, rupa said:

All the review sites, as TripAdvisor, Google, etc...

should block Thailand so people cannot see anything anymore.

Less publicity is less customers... maybe their eyes will be open than.

Thats nasty there are many good people here, 

[ChipButty]

57 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Yeah I was kept being asked by Google to comment on places I had been and mostly just gave the place a star rating, even that brought trouble. 

So switch off what ever it was on my phone a  location thing I think.

 

On google you can switch it off, once a month it tells me places that I have visited I'll have to look next time i think it says go into preferences to switch it off, 

[Road Warrior]

On 7/6/2023 at 9:52 AM, KhunLA said:

I have, and simply need to word it correctly.

 

You could even make it comical ... with praise.

 

... thank you for not supplying toiletries, as we travel with our own.

... thank you not changing the soiled sheets/bed covering, as we travel with a top sheet.

... thank you not providing water to drink.

... so glad your restaurant had very small portions, as my spouse is overweight.

... thank you for not providing a lift.

... as all these keep your overhead low, and we didn't mind paying just a bit more than the other hotel that do provide those extras, as we only like walking up the 5 floors of steps, instead of using the elevator, for needed exercise.

very good ,

[Kwasaki]

23 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

On google you can switch it off, once a month it tells me places that I have visited I'll have to look next time i think it says go into preferences to switch it off, 

Thanks I have switched it off don't comment or star rate anymore.

[Sametboy2019]

2 hours ago, gomangosteen said:

We talked about this last night, in our years or travel here in Thailand and Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia there hasn't been a hotel/resort we wouldn't stay at again. Several we have re-visited, and recommended to friends.

One beach resort we've stayed at numerous times since 2011, lovely location, owners and rooms - just looked at their reviews and a recent '2-star complaint' was that the swimming pool should have been bigger. 

Myself also. I imagine that's because you.do your research unlike most people. 

[Spock]

19 hours ago, Polaky said:

Plenty of people leave factual negative reviews to assist their fellow travellers and nothing ever comes of it, without these reviews we would be staying in absolute horrible hotels, so we owe them a great deal of thanks.

I am currently staying at the Asia Airport Hotel near Don Meuang airport for 4 days to be near Thai friends and have 5 other bookings in the north and elsewhere in Bangkok in the north and elsewhere in Bangkok. This hotel didn't get many great reviews on booking.com, but I really appreciated the variety of information and opinions in them, enabling me to decide whether I would be likely to be satisfied with the hotel, which in this case I am. I will leave this place a decent review when I leave. I think reviews are really valuable tools, particularly verified ones rather than those that anyone can do on TA etc. It's important to consider the impact of a review on a hotel etc, particularly if your opinion is vastly different from others. 

[spidermike007]

18 hours ago, itsari said:

Yes, it can work but also can be unfair.

My mother told me life was unfair, when I was very young. She was right. And I never forgot that valuable bit of wisdom. 

[fusion58]

On 7/6/2023 at 10:49 AM, WHansen said:

My fault I know, but how weird is it to give top marks when you're  not happy.

Farang English teacher in Thailand: “Hey, that’s my line!” 

[William C F Pierce]

Best answer is 1 star followed by ?????????????????

Edited July 7, 2023 by William C F Pierce

[fusion58]

On 7/6/2023 at 9:48 AM, stoner said:

when you are as thin skinned as thai are you need ridiculous laws like this to protect your fragile ego. 

 

losers. 

Bingo.

 

Money is the most important thing in the world to Thais, but “face” is a very close second.

[andygrr]

On 7/6/2023 at 9:44 AM, webfact said:

We've all been there. Whether it was a rude receptionist, an infestation of bedbugs or the stingy ratio of gin to tonic, sometimes, you've just got to vent.

 

Not to settle some petty score, no. As part of a noble cause to let the Internet know, so future travellers can choose a little better. 

 

In case you hadn't already guessed, I'm talking about hotel reviews. From contributing to Google Maps' reviews and ratings to leaving a scorching missive on Tripadvisor, there are many ways you can leave feedback for your host. Before you let your righteous indignation splurge all over your keyboard though, consider this: in some places, leaving a negative review can get you in trouble.

 

Enter: this controversial Reddit thread. In the thread, posted on Monday, a Reddit user made the claim "Thailand not allowing Bad reviews..." instantly sparking discussion among Reddit's r/travel community. 

 

Reviews are a great way to help other travellers out. But in some places, you might be better off staying quiet, as there could be serious consequences.

 

by James Booth

 

#news

Full story: https://www.escape.com.au/travel-advice/why-you-should-never-leave-a-negative-hotel-review-in-thailand/news-story/c3e4e20af7d200dd54fdc16dec24e5be

 

-- © Copyright Escape 2023-07-06

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

I think if hotels want to appear on platforms like Agoda, Booking .com and Hotels .com to name a few they should accept that reviews good or bad may be posted. Before they list their hotels, they should be made aware and agree as part of the terms and conditions to accept that reviews good or bad will be left. If they do not agree to the terms, then they should not be allowed to list their property. This would protect the person leaving the review. Of course if they can prove that the review was malicious and false then and only then should they be able to take the reviewer to court.

[Bassosa]

13 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I always make sure I reply back to any revenge reviews as for smoking in the rooms I tell them when they arrive and point them to a smoking area, 

If you are talking about Airbnb guest you can appeal to have that review removed, 

I also remind guest about the law sometimes "Smoke Free Building" it's worked so far 

I do too but the 1* review remains (on Google).

We've applied and gotten a hotel license so the fact that you can't smoke is clearly displayed pretty much everywhere (otherwise you won't get the license) but we have blokes that proclaim they were allowed to smoke in their room because they had a belly ache (!). Manchildren.

[SirHonkersTheFirst]

I absolutely do leave reviews (if I'm in the mood). 

 

I've left positive and negative reviews.

 

I at least wait until I've left the premises to do so though, as I will do with this AirBnb I'm at. It won't be 100% positive, but it will be the truth.

[Harsh Jones]

8 hours ago, fusion58 said:

Bingo.

 

Money is the most important thing in the world to Thais, but “face” is a very close second.

And for many westerners, whining is the most important thing. 

[Andycoops]

Thailand the world hub of defamation to protect the guilty.

 

All visitors need to do is write the review at home where freedom of speech rights exist and you won't be bothered by the non customer service Muppets.

[Andrew65]

Thai libel laws. I notice that when someone falls from a high building (and dies) in Thailand the building is never identified. I believe that this is done so as not to fall foul of libel laws?

[liddelljohn]

Not leaving negative reviews is  immoral, and cowardly, I give praise when its due and criticism when appropriate,,  other wise how will anything ever change ,, as to Thai Libel laws ,, so what ,, pathetic  ..  its just bullying and intimidation and needs to be  defeated ,

 

 I was in Bangkok  a few weeks ago and gave  negative reviews to 2 hotels   rated 5* when they were   at best 3* due to shabby rooms , poor breakfast , lack of advertised facilities etc

[tomacht8]

10 hours ago, Andrew65 said:

Thai libel laws. I notice that when someone falls from a high building (and dies) in Thailand the building is never identified. I believe that this is done so as not to fall foul of libel laws?

Yes. I once wrote a hotel review. Everything OK. Only as a constructive criticism that the balcony railings are too deep. Simply dowel in an additional higher rod. Not everyone is a midget. Well nothing happened. Neither a law suit against me nor that there would be additional balcony poles for safety reasons. TiT

Edited July 8, 2023 by tomacht8

[Cult of the Sun]

23 hours ago, Andycoops said:

Thailand the world hub of defamation to protect the guilty.

 

All visitors need to do is write the review at home where freedom of speech rights exist and you won't be bothered by the non customer service Muppets.

Freedom of speech exists at home? Depends on what you say & since that's the case, we really don't have it here either. 

 

This quote has been refuted as belonging to tubman. Either way, it's still true today.

 

"I freed a thousand slaves; I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves"—