Online Review System In Pattaya? Yelp Or Otherwise? We Badly Need Some Sort Of Accountability For Customer Service Here

[Darrel]

For someone who had the interest and the IT skills, it could be done for less than a hundred bucks...and then twenty or thirty bucks a year thereafter for the domain name and server rental space. Now, if it was going to be a larger more commercial site, then the costs and efforts would be much more and therefore not worth the expense/risks.

Indeed. But if such a site wasnt popular there would be little point running it. And it it was popular like ThaiVIsa is then there would be significant motivation to fill it with ads and tow the line.

[brit1984]

What about if you forced all businesses who want to be on the site to sign an agreement that they will not pursue legal action against the site or its owners regardless of whether negative comments are posted?

By the way, charging participating businesses a subscription fee would be a major revenue stream (probably the main revenue stream)

Edited May 6, 2012 by brit1984

[Darrel]

What about if you forced all businesses who want to be on the site to sign an agreement that they will not pursue legal action against the site or its owners regardless of whether negative comments are posted?

But that would limit comments to those made about businesses that had signed up. I suspect that the crappiest places just wouldnt sign up.

[brit1984]

What about if you forced all businesses who want to be on the site to sign an agreement that they will not pursue legal action against the site or its owners regardless of whether negative comments are posted?

But that would limit comments to those made about businesses that had signed up. I suspect that the crappiest places just wouldnt sign up.

Exactly... I would tell the companies (or tell the sales force to tell the companies) that this site is going to be huge and everyone will assume their business is one of the crappiest places if they don't sign up and get listed on the site

[Spalpeen]

Now that I know how Thai libel laws work I'd just like to say what a fine job those hardworking jet ski operators on beach road are doing.

[Darrel]

Exactly... I would tell the companies (or tell the sales force to tell the companies) that this site is going to be huge and everyone will assume their business is one of the crappiest places if they don't sign up and get listed on the site

I'm guessing that's already been done.

If you cant produce reasonably reliable stats these days you wont get much in the way of sign-ups.

[brit1984]

Exactly... I would tell the companies (or tell the sales force to tell the companies) that this site is going to be huge and everyone will assume their business is one of the crappiest places if they don't sign up and get listed on the site

I'm guessing that's already been done.

If you cant produce reasonably reliable stats these days you wont get much in the way of sign-ups.

If you think a few stats would be essential to the pitch, it would be easy to get some stats on other markets where review sites are already huge and tell them the train is about to leave the station so they better jump on-board quick (or maybe another metaphor more appropriate to a country where train travel is in its infancy)...

[Maestro]

From the OP:

...A lot of businesses have not claimed their Google places, so leaving reviews there is not possible either...

I find Google Place Pages ideal to leave reviews. Even when a business has not yet claimed its page, I can write a review. Take for example Thai House Restaurant at 171/1 Pattaya Nuea, at the intersection with Pattaya Nuea 7. It is not shown on the map but when I search for it by name it shows up in the list on the left and a marker gets placed for it on the map.

I click on that marker, then in the balloon that opens I click on the business name (top line), and the Google Place Page (GPP) opens.

The text "Business owner?" at the top right of the screen tells me that this GPP has not yet been claimed by the owner but, after logging into my Google account, I am able to write a review on this page. If my search does not find a business on the map I can put it there by using the map's check-in feature on my mobile phone, and this also creates automatically a GPP for the business.

[rmicheald]

I don't see why there would be a problem. Thaigers has both a "name and shame" for when you have gotten ripped off or bad service AND a "name and Praise" for when you have receive above and beyond service etc.

Why would it be any different than someone posting about going to a restaurant and telling what happened as we do now? Just have two sections devoted to those types of posts ... one for "name and shame' and one for "name and praise".

[FarangBuddha]

16) Not to post about gambling, betting, pornography, illegal drugs, fake goods/clothing etc and other activities that are officially illegal in Thailand.

So does that mean they are unofficially legal?

[vexill]

if its on google maps you can review it on there.

[Darrel]

.

Why would it be any different than someone posting about going to a restaurant and telling what happened as we do now?

You may not have noticed but when reports get too negative on here they can end up by having the name of the establishment and other distinguishing features edited out.

Perhaps the other forum you mentioned is smaller and so sits below the radar or has less to worry about?

[ZZZ]

There is also a law protecting customers that would support a site like this if the information given on the site is correct:

The protection of consumers in Thailand is regulated by the Consumer Protection Act, which calls for the protection of the rights of consumers and aims to prevent businesses from deceiving consumers. According to the law, consumers have the rights to full knowledge about the goods that they are purchasing, or the services they are obtaining, so that they will be provided with full protection.

[toenail]

There is also a law protecting customers that would support a site like this if the information given on the site is correct:

The protection of consumers in Thailand is regulated by the Consumer Protection Act, which calls for the protection of the rights of consumers and aims to prevent businesses from deceiving consumers. According to the law, consumers have the rights to full knowledge about the goods that they are purchasing, or the services they are obtaining, so that they will be provided with full protection.

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Really? There is such a department in Thailand? What is the address in BKK? I cannot believe it is functioning.

[monty]

There even is a branch in Pattaya!

Think it's on the 3th floor of Pattaya City Hall...

And they do help out...

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[JakeBKK]

If the websited isnt hosted in Thailand it would be impossible for any action to be taken against you...go for it, its a great idea.

You are wrong about this.

[KirillStorch]

Wow man you got it...Google reviews via google maps is the best solution by far good job

From the OP:

...A lot of businesses have not claimed their Google places, so leaving reviews there is not possible either...

I find Google Place Pages ideal to leave reviews. Even when a business has not yet claimed its page, I can write a review. Take for example Thai House Restaurant at 171/1 Pattaya Nuea, at the intersection with Pattaya Nuea 7. It is not shown on the map but when I search for it by name it shows up in the list on the left and a marker gets placed for it on the map.

I click on that marker, then in the balloon that opens I click on the business name (top line), and the Google Place Page (GPP) opens.

The text "Business owner?" at the top right of the screen tells me that this GPP has not yet been claimed by the owner but, after logging into my Google account, I am able to write a review on this page. If my search does not find a business on the map I can put it there by using the map's check-in feature on my mobile phone, and this also creates automatically a GPP for the business.

[Phil Conners]

Just keep the strict Thai defamation laws in mind. If the Thai government decides to send a subpoena to Google to find out who posted a certain review at a certain time, do you really think Google will deny this?

Even with "offshore" VPN accounts I'd be careful what I post on the Internet while living in Thailand. Yes they say they will protect you, but if the choice is between protecting you, a $10/month user or face a $1M lawsuit, my guess will be you will be on the losing end.

Anyway, just my personal opinion. I'm not saying this will happen, just that it could. Feel free to disagree.

[rmicheald]

Thaigers.com has a Name and Shame AND a Name and Praise section. Go there for reviews... They either have a different take on the law or aren't afraid to let members publish their opinions.

Personally, I don't see it is any different that someone writing a review of a restaurant they visited - what they liked, what they didn't like... What's the difference?