British Man Arrested in Bangkok Over Defamation Claims by Phuket Restaurant

[Card]

If restaurant owners can't be arrested for lying about the quality of their service and false advertising then customers should have the right to give bad reviews 

[Mike Lister]

2 minutes ago, Frankie baby said:

I suppose they have to prove the review is incorrect before they can proceed.

Nope. Defamation laws in Thailand are such that it doesn't matter if what was said is true or not, only that it was said and it caused damage as a result.

[impulse]

8 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

false,,Ive written many bad reviews here, based on FACTS..not made up stuff to defame.....its not defamation if its TRUE..

 

read the article,,,he made up sh*t as revenge..hence the charges....just like FOX news got sued for lying......aka Fake news

 

I'd be careful extrapolating your personal experiences into a general statement.  Maybe you just haven't posted a bad review of the wrong business.

It's a lot like the guys who claim that scooters are perfectly safe, until they end up losing a leg...  Or the guys who have never been cheated by a Thai woman, until they lose a condo...

I'm recalling the guy from a few months back who was asked for 300,000 baht for filing a bad review on AirBNB.

 

YMMV

 

[Ombra]

I am glad that there was no internet to tempt me when I was a stupid 21-year-old.

[Slocum]

Typical Western and American style...if I can't get it..nobody does...

Shameless Cheap Scum....How low is low ? with this type people around...🫣

[StevieAus]

24 minutes ago, BE88 said:

 

No only Thailand.

It's not only Thailand you can be sued for defamation in other countries including Australia if you post comments that are found to be baseless. 

Criminal defamation is over the top but that's the law here. 

[josephbloggs]

19 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

Please elaborate

I don't think I can elaborate any more. Which part are you having trouble with?

[JMonroe]

If you disliked a restaurant and posted a bad review, no foul. If you went on a campaign and repeatedly posted bad reviews and organized your mates to do the same, you've crossed the line. The restaurant should sue. Now, I don't know if he did that, as the restaurant alleges. I guess that will come out in court. But, if he did, he is in the wrong, in my opinion.

[wensiensheng]

“Despite benefiting from the restaurant offering a convenient access passage, Alexander was asked to stop using it …”

 

in what universe does this make sense? If he was asked to stop using it, how could he benefit?

 

sometimes it just pointless to read any news article posted here. There are so many contradictory statements, none can be trusted. SMH.

Edited May 10 by wensiensheng

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy: Khaosod

 

A 21-years-old British man, known as Alexander, has been arrested in Bangkok for allegedly defaming a restaurant in Phuket. Alexander was taken into custody on May 9 by Crime Suppression Division officers from his residence near Wat Phraya Krai, Charoen Krung Road, following an arrest warrant issued by the Phuket Provincial Court last year.

 

The charges revolve around "importing false information into a computer system to cause public damage". This was after a disagreement with an Italian restaurant owner over access rights to his accommodation in Phuket.

 

Despite benefiting from the restaurant offering a convenient access passage, Alexander was asked to stop using it as the cost of maintaining the route shaped the restaurant's decision to reserve it for their customers only. This led to a conflict between Alexander and the restaurant.

 

Later, the restaurant experienced a sharp decline in its Google customer review rating, dropping from 4.9 to 3.1. The restaurant attributed this fall to an influx of one-star reviews, allegedly posted by Alexander and his associates containing inaccurate and damaging statements about the restaurant. 

 

Upon discovering this, the restaurant owner lodged a complaint at Sakhu Police Station. After gathering evidence, the police issued an arrest warrant for Alexander, but he had meanwhile fled to Bangkok. He was recently detected and detained there, and is reportedly denying the charges against him. He has been transported back to Sakhu Police Station in Phuket for prosecution.

 

-- 2024-05-10

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Sorry, but this is confusing. Actually, there is no precise description of this case. 

If Alexander only reported facts it's not defamation.

But....Thailand and it's laws. Confusing sometimes 🙏

[Swiss1960]

38 minutes ago, Steven Pattaya said:

Arrest people for leaving bad reviews but don't arrest people for attempted murder/using their cars to intentionally run down pedestrians.  Go Thailand police.

Read the report, stupid... he and his friends posted FALSE reviews, which IS a crime world wide

[Expat Tom]

From the "Wizard of Oz"; you are not in Kansas any more Dorthey ! Thai's are very thin skinned and their 

definition of freedom of speech might differ from your country.

I have lived here for many years and here are a few pointers for expats if you want to survive and flourish in the Land of Smiles:

1) You do not have to adopt the culture but you do have to adapt to it.

2) Do not criticize anyone even if you are right, ESPECIALLY in writing. Did you ever notice that there are very few negative comments on Trip Advisor about Thailand? You never know who the person you are commenting about is connected with. Even criticizing a tailor shop might land you in hot water if that tailor happens to be the tailor of choice for some highly connected person or, god forbid, the Royal Family.

3) Stay out of Thai politics .....very far out.

4) If you want to prowl the many night life districts leave your Rolex and gold chain locked in the hotel safe. Don't get drunk and don't carry large amounts of cash. Carry your ATM card. You can always get more cash if you need it. If you are too drunk to use the ATM it might be time to call it a night.

5) Never get in a physical altercation with a Thai. Even if you are 185 cm, weight  110 kg and are trained in Muay Thai, you can't take on 20 Thais at once. The police will side with the Thais 90% of the time. NEVER touch a Thai woman unless invited to do so. 

6) Remember, this in not your country and the Thais DO NOT care how you do things back home.

 

Above all else,  you probably came here by airplane and the last I checked, planes fly in both directions. If you can't follow a few simple common sense rules then you might want to consider flying back to where ever you came from. 

[wensiensheng]

13 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

It's not only Thailand you can be sued for defamation in other countries including Australia if you post comments that are found to be baseless. 

Criminal defamation is over the top but that's the law here. 

You are hoisted by your own petard. Your statement about the defamation laws in Australia is correct. But in Thailand you can be sued for defamation EVEN IF, your statement is true. 

 

Perhaps it is the case in other countries, but I personally don’t know any.

Edited May 10 by wensiensheng

[Smokey and the Bandit]

11 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

false,,Ive written many bad reviews here, based on FACTS..not made up stuff to defame.....its not defamation if its TRUE..

 

read the article,,,he made up sh*t as revenge..hence the charges....just like FOX news got sued for lying......aka Fake news

Maybe you have just  been lucky?

I agree with you normally if the facts are true it should not be defamation.

Why bring FOX news into it?

 

"Under Thai law truth is not a defence in defamation cases. Even if what the defendant has said is demonstrably true, even if the plaintiff admits it is true, the defendant can still be found guilty, unless they can show there is a public interest in publishing."

From a BBC article:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66643591

[ryandb]

19 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

If there was evidence of noise etc, as you mention, did the owner ask politely for him to stop whatever the issue was?

We don't really have all the information, but In Thailand even if you leave a negative review which is true and you have evidence, you can still get in trouble, which is crazy!

 

No idea these stories are always vague but to be honest if it wasn't in writing that he had the right to use the access that seemingly belongs to the restaurant then they can revoke it at any time. As mentioned I don't believe it should be criminal but false reviews also harm businesses and there should be deterrence for this but in the form of civil not criminal action if provable.

[Mywayboy]

Alexander should deny the allegations against him, as it is not him he identifies as a Wheelbarrow (Woke Society 😂)

[wensiensheng]

29 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

great posting gents

 

now let get to to the FACTS....a rare thing theser days on this site

 

the POST say he seemingly left many FALSE statements about the business....yes that IS defamation...

 

TRUE statements would NOT be...see how that works. as i have left BAD reviews here in LOS based on BAD service aka truth

 

Saying FALSE things about any business can lead to this ,,anywhere....see how this works???

 

but do go on about freedom of speech etc,,,you must be the one making jokes about bombs on planes.....smh

 

whats your grievance today ????

A true statement that causes “harm” to a business or individual is still regarded as defamatory in Thailand. The issue at point according to Thai law is not whether a statement is true or false, it is whether a business/individual suffered from it.

 

so I am afraid you will need to reassess how things work.

 

 

[Cabradelmar]

Social influencer fail 🤣 strangely, all I feel is schadenfreude.

[QuantumQuandry]

Place sucks.  Lots of people complain.  They pick one guy to pin all their bad reviews on.

 

Always post anonymously in Thailand, people.

[stix40]

He imputed false information 

Spit my tea out !!!

I am pretty sure he thought the input was 

Fecking bang on ! 

Next you will arrested 

For wearing loud shirts

Fuzzy hair 

With intent of using a public crossing ! 

[hotchilli]

55 minutes ago, Steven Pattaya said:

Arrest people for leaving bad reviews but don't arrest people for attempted murder/using their cars to intentionally run down pedestrians.  Go Thailand police.

Free choice come here or stay away...

[Excogitator]

Not nice of the restaurant to deny him road access, but (although I don't agree at all with 'defamation-laws'),  what 'Alexander' did in return had nothing to do with the conflict at hand, so it is understandable that the restaurant uses the laws of the land against him..

[BE88]

19 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

It's not only Thailand you can be sued for defamation in other countries including Australia if you post comments that are found to be baseless. 

Criminal defamation is over the top but that's the law here. 

 

I think it's right, if you defame someone because you don't like them or for other base reasons and you make them lose customers in their business it's right that will be punished for defamation.

[smew]

unbelievable... place this Thailand... never criticize anything or anyone...     that is why it will never get better....    

[norfolkandchance]

21 years old. I wonder what visa he was on.

[Bangkok Barry]

57 minutes ago, dougieboy said:

I think, if you visit a restaurant and the food and service is of poor quality then you should have every right to leave honest reviews without fear of prosecution. 
However, if you leave poor reviews about a restaurant simply because you’re upset that they’ve revoked your right to use their right of way then I’m sorry you deserve everything that’s coming your way.

You should’ve just sucked it up

 

Or the restaurant could have shown goodwill and friendly public relations by allowing someone access, instead of being needlessly obstructive to someone doing no harm at all. Anyone being an ars**** deserves all they get.

[NoDisplayName]

52 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

and also got his mates to join in, such that their Google rating dropped from 4.9 to 3.1.

 

Alleged.

 

And for all we know the alleged 4.9 rating was from 2 years ago.

[ignore it]

Yep. 

The wife stopped offering a convenient access passage some time ago, but I still have the cost of maintaining the route. 

 

She told me to take my business elsewhere,  but her giving permission kinda takes the fun out of it.

Edited May 10 by ignore it

[ExpatOilWorker]

What is the name of the restaurant, asking for a friend?

[Kinok Farang]

It was better in the days when you had to write a letter to call someone a <deleted>.

By the time you were ready to post it you had usually cooled down.