Thai police arrested a British tourist named Alexander for leaving bad reviews of the cafe and giving it one star, Metro reports.
It is reported that the owner of a cafe in Phuket filed a complaint against the Briton with the police. He stated that he did not allow the tourist to pass through his establishment as a shortcut to his home. In retaliation, he wrote a bad review about the catering, gave it one star, and persuaded his friends to do the same.
As a result, the cafe’s rating dropped from 4.8 to 3.1 stars, which affected the establishment’s reputation and, as a result, income.
An arrest warrant for Alexander was issued in August 2023, and only on May 9 of this year did law enforcement officers manage to establish the Briton’s place of residence — he moved to Bangkok — and arrest him.
Police Major Jomparit Kewreung of the Crime Squad said the suspect was handed over to the investigating officer at Sakhu Police Station in Phuket for further investigation. He was charged under the article “Publication of false information causing harm…”. Punishment under this article includes imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to one hundred thousand baht.
It is also noted that during interrogation the tourist did not admit guilt.
This is not the first time in Thailand that a tourist has been arrested for a bad review. In 2020, an American was detained for a negative review of the Sea View Resort in Phuket, which he posted on TripAdvisor. After a public apology, he was released.