Hotel guest in Thailand jailed for defamation after posting bad online reviews

Post by ashtonkem » Mon, Sep 28, 2020, 4:21 AM UTC

cortesoft wrote: post #73

Fezzik wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it true in any first world countries? As far as I am aware publishing anything that is true is always fair game. The very definition of libel (and slander) is that something untrue has been published or said. I’m not aware of a first world/non-dictatorship that treats either libel or slander as a crime or where “it’s true” is not a defense [in a civil case]. This is a good article on the history of the issue: http…

While truth is still a defense, in the UK the burden of proof is on the defendant; this means that if you are accused of libel or slander in the UK, you have to prove that what you said is true in order to defend yourself. This can be very difficult; for example, how would your PROVE a hotel clerk said certain things to you? In the US, the burden of proof is on the person suing for libel; they have to prove that what…

Post by lostmsu » Mon, Sep 28, 2020, 4:24 AM UTC

kevindong wrote: post #114

lostmsu wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see why not. The net damage might be equivalent to stealing significant money.

Stealing implies one party enriches themselves at the expense of another. A better term for this situation would be "costing."

Post by throwawaynothx » Mon, Sep 28, 2020, 4:29 AM UTC

Post by jacobwilliamroy » Mon, Sep 28, 2020, 4:36 AM UTC

bardworx wrote: post #38

gruez wrote: post #29

The part near the end of the article is confusing. >While this reaction by the hotel does sound excessive I’d give them the benefit of the doubt that this guest behaved like a total idiot while at the property and then turned around with very unflattering descriptions and manufactured truths aka lies about this resort. He then refused to discuss the matter with the hotel and instead of stopping even accelerated his o…

In the article it states that the hotel guest violated the hotel policy of bringing alcohol on premise. So the guest seems to have broken the rules and then lied about it, which in Thailand is a serious crime. Yes, the punishment is excessive but not sure how the guest is “right”. Your comment is cherry picking the later section while ignoring the beginning, it seems. > According to media reports the whole drama init…

Post by ezoe » Mon, Sep 28, 2020, 4:37 AM UTC

narag wrote: post #55

AmericanChopper wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The defamation laws in Thailand are pretty terrible. For starters, they have both civil and criminal defamation statutes (and criminal defamation statutes are already pretty bad). The thing that makes it really bad though, is that truth is not always a defence for criminal defamation offences. The law is something to the effect of "disclosing private matters can be defamation even if it's true". I've read a few of ar…

The law is something to the effect of "disclosing private matters can be defamation even if it's true". That's common in many countries. "It's true" is only a valid defense if you're accusing someone of a crime.