American apologizes for bad hotel review

Sorry part of deal to settle Thai suit

BANGKOK — American hotel guest Wesley Barnes publicly apologized Friday for his blunt online reviews of the Sea View Koh Chang resort in Thailand. In exchange, the hotel promised that it would drop the complaint that led authorities in Thailand to file criminal defamation charges against him.

In Thailand, criminal defamation charges can result in a prison term of up to two years. Barnes had already spent two days in jail after his arrest on those charges last month before posting bail.

The question now for the Sea View resort — and for Thailand’s tourism industry, which is struggling under the coronavirus travel freeze — is whether it can recover from the considerable damage its reputation has suffered by threatening Barnes with prison. The resort, on the Koh Chang island on Thailand’s southeastern coast, has been excoriated online for using the country’s tough defamation laws against a guest who didn’t enjoy his stay and decided to write about it.

Barnes struck a decidedly different tone Friday, in a statement filled with stilted official language reminiscent of a forced confession.

“All of the statements that I made are completely untrue,” the statement said. “These reviews and comments were written out of anger and malice. Now, I, Mr. Barnes, have regretted my actions and would like to apologize to Sea View Koh Chang, and its staff.”

As required by the settlement with the hotel, Barnes also sent the statement to news outlets that covered his case, including The New York Times. He apologized “for my repeatedly false and untrue statements/reviews made to maliciously defame Sea View Koh Chang.”

Kitti Maleehuan, the Koh Chang police chief, whose office filed the charges, attended a settlement meeting Thursday, according to the police.

The resort on Koh Chang island, an hour’s flight from Bangkok, said by email that it would drop its complaint if Barnes complied with the terms of the agreement by Oct. 30.

“After all conditions are met, the hotel will then withdraw the charges against the offender,” said Col. Kissana Phathanacharoen, deputy spokesman for the Royal Thai Police.

Barnes did not respond to a request for further comment.

Barnes’ arrest and the filing of criminal charges last month over reviews he posted on Tripadvisor and Google alarmed many travelers, who have long felt free to post blunt and critical online reviews in Thailand and elsewhere.

The move also called into question the judgment of the Thai authorities for pursuing the criminal case just as Thailand is desperately trying to revive its tourist industry.

One of the government’s strategies is to encourage residents, including foreigners like Barnes who live in Thailand, to travel within the country. Tourism accounts for about a fifth of the country’s economy.

Human rights advocates have long criticized Thailand’s defamation law, which can lead to criminal charges for speaking out and is sometimes used by companies to silence critics.