PETALING JAYA, Sept. 29 -- American Wesley Barnes landed himself in the soup over his review of the Sea View Resort at Koh Chang island where he wrote in July that he encountered "unfriendly staff" who "act like they don't want anyone here."

Colonel Thanapon Taemsara of Koh Chang police told AFP that Sea View Resort owner filed a complaint that the defendant had posted unfair reviews on his hotel on the Tripadvisor website.

Taemsara said Barnes was accused of causing "damage to the reputation of the hotel," and of quarrelling with staff over not paying a corkage fee for alcohol brought to the hotel.

Barnes, who works in Thailand, was later arrested by immigration police and returned to Koh Chang where he was briefly detained and then f...