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,…