Guest houses must now get a hotel license--any info?

[JAZZDOG]

2 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

What are you blabbering about, the article from 2013, referenced to the rule, so it was there already. You can't reference to something which comes 3 years later.

Come on man, pull it together, we are talking about an amendment to the Hotel Act 2004 effective august 2016 which created the changes causing havoc. They are jumping the gun by two months which may actually be a blessing and give them time to actually rub two brain cells together and understand the consequences of what they are doing. Only been here a short while, has the government here always been this inept?

[BestB]

29 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

What are you blabbering about, the article from 2013, referenced to the rule, so it was there already. You can't reference to something which comes 3 years later.

Again for the 3rd and last time , hotel license was not a requirement for under 50 rooms prior to 2016.

 

i realize being an armchair expert with links to law firms makes you even bigger expert but may I suggest you learn Thai and read actual acts instead of law firms references

[FritsSikkink]

3 minutes ago, BestB said:

Again for the 3rd and last time , hotel license was not a requirement for under 50 rooms prior to 2016.

 

i realize being an armchair expert with links to law firms makes you even bigger expert but may I suggest you learn Thai and read actual acts instead of law firms references

I can read Thai and you are talking BS

[BestB]

Just now, FritsSikkink said:

I can read Thai and you are talking BS

Excellent , please post link to it and underline which paragraph supports your expert opinion

[JAZZDOG]

7 hours ago, cmsally said:

Kristi and Rendezvous all closed.

I was able to obtain confirmed reservations for 6/18-6/19 at both these hotels. 

Everyone might be better served to verify information with these businesses before making judgement. I for one would be very pissed off to have my business listed as closed if I was operating and taking guest. Please step in their shoes and give it a thought, misinformation can be very damaging for both the business effected and the publication providing the misinformation. Not that difficult to verify information and it is not that hard to imagine that a competitor could take advantage of the situation. Misinformation regarding this subject is running rampant which is exactly what the powers that be are looking for. Please pass along information from verifiable sources. 

[cmsally]

As I said although a lot of these hotels look closed from the outside especially if you read Thai, but they could in fact be open. it is in fact quite confusing as to why some are very definitely closed and others clearly open and others just putting up,signs and more or less in between. Have some places been singled out more than others. it is very difficult to get correct information but if there is a sign on a closed door saying closed the assumption would be that they are closed.

This state of confusion is not good for anyone and the fact that it has been allowed to go this far shows an incredible lack of forethought.

 

[BestB]

Explanation is easy.

 

some that have been raided, do not actually know what to do as no directive was given.

 

some that have not been raided, turning off signs and pretending to be closed to avoid being raided

 

can not speak for Chiangmai but in Pattaya , police scans booking sites.however as I mentioned before I do not know if they can use that to charge you or present it in court.

 

from my dealings , they needed actual hard copy of bookings 

[JAZZDOG]

20 minutes ago, BestB said:

Explanation is easy.

 

some that have been raided, do not actually know what to do as no directive was given.

 

some that have not been raided, turning off signs and pretending to be closed to avoid being raided

 

can not speak for Chiangmai but in Pattaya , police scans booking sites.however as I mentioned before I do not know if they can use that to charge you or present it in court.

 

from my dealings , they needed actual hard copy of bookings 

When you literally have a complete lack of compliance it makes every action arbitrary and selective enforcement which in itself is illegal in most civilized countries. 

[Peterw42]

44 minutes ago, cmsally said:

As I said although a lot of these hotels look closed from the outside especially if you read Thai, but they could in fact be open. it is in fact quite confusing as to why some are very definitely closed and others clearly open and others just putting up,signs and more or less in between. Have some places been singled out more than others. it is very difficult to get correct information but if there is a sign on a closed door saying closed the assumption would be that they are closed.

This state of confusion is not good for anyone and the fact that it has been allowed to go this far shows an incredible lack of forethought.

 

Yes its confusing but dont forget its low season and a percentage of small hotels often close for a month or so this time of the year, every year. There is a little 20-30 room hotel around the corner from my condo that shuts every year for the month of June. I am sure at the moment people are noticing its shut and blaming hotel raids etc. Dependant on the area its common practice for restaurants and hotels to shut this time of the year and have a break.

[Peterw42]

50 minutes ago, BestB said:

Explanation is easy.

 

some that have been raided, do not actually know what to do as no directive was given.

 

some that have not been raided, turning off signs and pretending to be closed to avoid being raided

 

can not speak for Chiangmai but in Pattaya , police scans booking sites.however as I mentioned before I do not know if they can use that to charge you or present it in court.

 

from my dealings , they needed actual hard copy of bookings 

There was a media report recently that stated police did a sting operation, making bookings then caught the people handing out the keys, more an illegal ST condo thing but still shows its possible.

 

There is a big 20 story hotel near my condo in Jomtien that I take a short cut through. its always in semi darkness with no advertising signs etc, but the hotel is full and carpark is always full of buses.

[BestB]

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

There was a media report recently that stated police did a sting operation, making bookings then caught the people handing out the keys, more an illegal ST condo thing but still shows its possible.

 

There is a big 20 story hotel near my condo in Jomtien that I take a short cut through. its always in semi darkness with no advertising signs etc, but the hotel is full and carpark is always full of buses.

Thats what i meant, they need hard copy booking. Using the fact that hotel is listed on Agoda or other site, i do not know if that can be used.

 

Since my raid, i can semi confirm i have had 2 visits from what i believe to be either undercover people or specially sent people.

 

Both were Thai, both did not have any bags with them at all or a car parked near by.

 

Both were interested in "what are you? a hotel or what? " then actually getting a room. or prices.

 

The only light i can sort of see is local amphers easing up or issuing exclusion orders for "selective few" 

 

Unless cooler heads prevail and they either start to issue license or change the regulations, this is not going to end well for Thailand in the long run.

 

 

 

 

[Peterw42]

7 minutes ago, BestB said:

Thats what i meant, they need hard copy booking. Using the fact that hotel is listed on Agoda or other site, i do not know if that can be used.

 

Since my raid, i can semi confirm i have had 2 visits from what i believe to be either undercover people or specially sent people.

 

Both were Thai, both did not have any bags with them at all or a car parked near by.

 

Both were interested in "what are you? a hotel or what? " then actually getting a room. or prices.

 

The only light i can sort of see is local amphers easing up or issuing exclusion orders for "selective few" 

 

Unless cooler heads prevail and they either start to issue license or change the regulations, this is not going to end well for Thailand in the long run.

 

 

 

 

BTW, its refreshing to have some actual input from someone directly affected and knowledgable , rather than the usual "a guy in a bar told me"

[heybruce]

3 hours ago, JAZZDOG said:

I was able to obtain confirmed reservations for 6/18-6/19 at both these hotels. 

Everyone might be better served to verify information with these businesses before making judgement. I for one would be very pissed off to have my business listed as closed if I was operating and taking guest. Please step in their shoes and give it a thought, misinformation can be very damaging for both the business effected and the publication providing the misinformation. Not that difficult to verify information and it is not that hard to imagine that a competitor could take advantage of the situation. Misinformation regarding this subject is running rampant which is exactly what the powers that be are looking for. Please pass along information from verifiable sources. 

Was your confirmation from the guesthouse itself?  Or was it from the booking site?

 

At this time I would not trust any internet booking unless I had confirmed directly with the management of the guesthouse.  Even then I wouldn't be too sure until I was checked into the room.

 

 

[FritsSikkink]

6 hours ago, BestB said:

Excellent , please post link to it and underline which paragraph supports your expert opinion

I am done with you, keep blaming Prayut if that makes you happy. Your neighbors in the north must be happy with you.

[BestB]

10 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

I am done with you, keep blaming Prayut if that makes you happy. Your neighbors in the north must be happy with you.

LOL, so no links to the actual act, no links to support your nonsense, but YOU are done with me.

 

I suppose i should feel relieved, i was worried you be posting links to the act in Thai which you read already ?

[JAZZDOG]

2 hours ago, heybruce said:

Was your confirmation from the guesthouse itself?  Or was it from the booking site?

 

At this time I would not trust any internet booking unless I had confirmed directly with the management of the guesthouse.  Even then I wouldn't be too sure until I was checked into the room.

 

 

Direct emails from the guest houses. Deal is using the host sites the GH is getting the reservation. If they weren't open they would block those dates on the calendar not wanting people with bookings showing up at a closed GH. Being closed during low season is one thing, advertising for business and being closed down is real bad PR. I even sent a note along stating the confusion over closed GHs and was assured it was not the case.

[Chrisdoc]

There was a media report recently that stated police did a sting operation, making bookings then caught the people handing out the keys, more an illegal ST condo thing but still shows its possible.
 
There is a big 20 story hotel near my condo in Jomtien that I take a short cut through. its always in semi darkness with no advertising signs etc, but the hotel is full and carpark is always full of buses.

People say the RTP are lazy but here they are working hard going through booking sites. Who cares about violence, theft and drugs? This is real police work.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[cmsally]

The problem is administratively it is a complete stalemate but that doesn't mean it can't be solved. it will need a lot of pressure on the part of those affected to get things changed because the changes have to come right from the top. Interestingly guesthouses in Bangkok don't seem affected.

[BestB]

37 minutes ago, Chrisdoc said:

People say the RTP are lazy but here they are working hard going through booking sites. Who cares about violence, theft and drugs? This is real police work.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

It’s not RTP, but tourist police ?

[BestB]

2 minutes ago, cmsally said:

The problem is administratively it is a complete stalemate but that doesn't mean it can't be solved. it will need a lot of pressure on the part of those affected to get things changed because the changes have to come right from the top. Interestingly guesthouses in Bangkok don't seem affected.

About Bangkok ,I am not too sure if unaffected or not reported.

 

pattaya raids have also been rather on the quite in terms of reporting , yet they arrest about 50 every week

[cmsally]

6 minutes ago, BestB said:

It’s not RTP, but tourist police ?

That is bizarre as it wouldn't seem to be their jurisdiction. In the hotel licensing process there are police who tag along but they are ordinary local police.

I was in Bangkok but didn't get a chance to go to Khaosan Rd etc. There were a few guesthouses in the area I was in, seemed unaffected. next month I will try to take a look and speak to some owners I know.

[BestB]

8 minutes ago, cmsally said:

That is bizarre as it wouldn't seem to be their jurisdiction. In the hotel licensing process there are police who tag along but they are ordinary local police.

I was in Bangkok but didn't get a chance to go to Khaosan Rd etc. There were a few guesthouses in the area I was in, seemed unaffected. next month I will try to take a look and speak to some owners I know.

May be tourist police are the only ones willing to do the job, haha

 

[JAZZDOG]

47 minutes ago, BestB said:

May be tourist police are the only ones willing to do the job, haha

 

Or maybe because they speak English, Was it a mix of RTP and tourist police?

[BestB]

5 minutes ago, JAZZDOG said:

Or maybe because they speak English, Was it a mix of RTP and tourist police?

No, with me was 100% tourist police , no one else. Just 20 mins ago went to court to sign in, saw another massive raid on a place on Tharpaya road

[BestB]

It may be all related but this morning channel 7 Thai news , I missed half of it but from what I heard and understood or misunderstood , they are now going to go door to door checking every house and condo that is owned by a foreigner or with foreigner involved. 

 

Again i I did not hear full story, perhaps it will be repeated or will be on line shortly , but it did not sound very pleasant.

 

Commentator made a remark along the lines of “ government does not want foreigners here”

 

But once again , I only heard it partly and may have misunderstood the whole sentence or context it was said in.

[johnoko]

Thai PBS recorded a meeting this morning at Wat Lamchang temple of the local guesthouse owners regarding the current problems

[cmsally]

18 minutes ago, johnoko said:

Thai PBS recorded a meeting this morning at Wat Lamchang temple of the local guesthouse owners regarding the current problems

I gather the meeting is ongoing and started about 0900 this morning. The TV news was there earlier. Apparently about 200 people there.

[jonwilly]

As a resident I have not followed this thread.

However while having breakfast this morning with 2 local businessmen They say it's all from the Army who have had pressure placed on them by government and owners of big hotels.

Thailand is now very low on tourists and They say the closing of guest houses is to chase visitors into more expensive established Hotels.

 

john

[JAZZDOG]

3 hours ago, BestB said:

It may be all related but this morning channel 7 Thai news , I missed half of it but from what I heard and understood or misunderstood , they are now going to go door to door checking every house and condo that is owned by a foreigner or with foreigner involved. 

 

Again i I did not hear full story, perhaps it will be repeated or will be on line shortly , but it did not sound very pleasant.

 

Commentator made a remark along the lines of “ government does not want foreigners here”

 

But once again , I only heard it partly and may have misunderstood the whole sentence or context it was said in.

Wonderful, makes my decision much easier. Join me at my Guesthouse in beautiful Salvador-Bahia. Ranked the cleanest air in the world. Don't know why I put up with this so long.

 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/23507992?location=Itapua%2C Salvador%2C State of Bahia%2C Brazil&guests=1&adults=14

[JAZZDOG]

Just got an email from the farang owner of a GH owner in CM.

 

quote;

 

"We are keeping our doors closed voluntarily until the current hysteria and unwanted Police attention has dissipated. We have a licence to operate from our local council  but it seems that it counts for little when it comes to police visiting and extorting ransom from hapless employees and owners."

 

Sums it up pretty well