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An American citizen detained in Thailand avoided a potential two-year prison sentence after reaching a settlement with a hotel that accused him of defamation, due to criticism posted on the TripAdvisor website.
Colonel Kitti Maleehuan, district police superintendent on the island of Koh Chang, in southern Thailand, told the Spanish news agency EFE that the parties had reached an agreement to withdraw the complaint filed by the Sea View Resort hotel. , located on that popular tourist island. .
Under the agreement, the American Wesley Barnes, a resident of Thailand, who spent two nights in prison pending a security deposit, agreed to take a series of actions, until October 30, including apologizing to the hotel, The authorities. and the media that reported the case.
In addition, you will also have to give explanations to the United States Embassy in Bangkok and ask the TripAdvisor tourism portal, where you published the negative comments, to remove the criticism of the hotel.
Barnes stayed at the Sea View Resort hotel at the end of June, having written negative comments on the TripAdvisor portal, criticizing the establishment’s employees.
After refusing to withdraw the comments, Barnes was charged with defamation and arrested on September 12.
The American was detained for two days, until he paid a bail of 100,000 bats (2,700 euros), and was also forced to appear before a judge to answer the accusation of defamation, punishable by up to two years in prison. .
The dispute arose when the hotel staff informed the guest that he had to pay a fee if he wanted to consume beverages purchased off-site, accusing the hotel manager of being “extremely rude to customers” and treating workers “like” slaves “.
Thailand’s anti-defamation laws have been denounced by organizations that defend human rights and freedom of the press, who believe that the legislation is used to limit freedom of expression.
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