American expat escapes Thai jail time for scathing hotel review

An American expat living in Thailand faced a nightmare scenario when his negative TripAdvisor review landed him in hot water with the law.

Wesley Barnes found himself in a legal tussle after leaving a less-than-flattering review of Sea View Resort on Koh Chang. Barnes’ brush with the law began after he described the hotel’s staff as unfriendly and likened their behaviour to modern-day slavery.

However, the incident took an unexpected turn when the resort decided to take legal action against Barnes, leading to his brief stint in custody and the looming threat of a two-year prison sentence.

Following a gripping mediation session overseen by local authorities, Barnes and the resort settled, sparing him from a potential prison stay. Koh Chang Police Station Superintendent Colonel Kitti Maleehuan disclosed that Barnes had agreed to the hotel’s terms, which included issuing an apology to the establishment and its staff.

The deal also requires Barnes to extend apologies to Thailand’s Tourism Authority and the US embassy, securing his freedom in exchange for compliance. Should Barnes uphold his end of the bargain, the hotel has pledged to withdraw its complaint, reported the Times of Malta.

But amidst the drama, Thailand’s tourism industry continues to navigate the pandemic’s aftermath, with locals and expats seizing the opportunity to explore deserted resorts as international travel remains restricted.

In related news, southern provinces of Thailand are experiencing a boost in room revenue in the first quarter, thanks to extended stays by European visitors. This increase has occurred despite the lesser number of tourists from China. Room rates have reached a new high, setting a record.

Hotels in the province, particularly in Khao Lak, are charging higher room rates, between 6,000 and 10,000 baht per night, surpassing the average of 5,000 baht in 2019, a peak tourism year for Thailand.

In other news, despite the extended Songkran holiday, a surge in outbound trips is not anticipated, mainly due to high airfares and deflation risk concerns. This perspective comes from travel agents who predict that the 21-day Water Festival campaign is more likely to entice foreign tourists than the local market.