A British tourist in Thailand, reportedly disgruntled, is facing legal trouble for alleged online retaliation. 21-year-old Alexander was arrested after supposedly posting fake negative reviews about a Phuket restaurant, as reported by The Metro.

The dispute arose when Alexander, as per accounts, was denied entry to the restaurant for not being a customer while attempting to use it as a shortcut home. Seeking revenge, Alexander allegedly enlisted friends to flood the restaurant with one-star reviews, causing its rating to drop from 4.8 to 3.1 stars, according to the news outlet.

The restaurant owner, understandably upset by the sudden rush of negative comments and its potential impact on business, filed a complaint. Subsequently, Alexander was arrested by the Central Investigation Bureau at his new Bangkok residence, based on an arrest warrant. The warrant accuses him of a crime termed “entering false computer data likely to cause damage to the general public.”

Alexander asserted his innocence but is currently undergoing legal proceedings in Phuket after being relocated to the Sakhu Police Station.

This isn’t the only time something like this has happened. Back in 2020, an American visitor in Phuket got into trouble because of Thailand’s strict laws about saying bad things about people or businesses. He got arrested for writing a negative review on TripAdvisor, saying a hotel was like “modern-day slavery.” Although he got released after saying sorry, it’s a lesson for anyone posting online reviews while visiting Thailand. Even if it seems harmless, it can get you in serious trouble because in Thailand, saying bad things about someone can land you in jail for up to two years.

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(With inputs from agencies)