Busted: People running a hotel at Bangkok condominium arrested/charged in police/immigration raid

[firestar]

I know this won't go down well with the grumpies who like nothing better than other foreigners getting in trouble but despite what happened in Samui legally for houses the law isn't so clear cut

 

Under the Ministerial Regulation 2008, a hotel license is not required if the business 

• has not more than four rooms on all floors in all buildings, 
• has a total service capacity of no more than twenty guests
• Is deemed only "additional income",
• reports its daily rental business to the government

[irwinfc]

15 hours ago, rooster59 said:

One person - who seemed to be a foreigner - was charged with not staying at an address they had previously reported.

and what charge could that be?

[PaoloR]

The most important point that all those defending the use of Airbnb to make money from their overpriced Thai condominiums fail to appreciate is that of safety.

Hotels have to pass a number of more stringent criteria than a condo in order for a licence to be issued- including fire, occupancy, security and others. This comes at a cost. Anyone renting out a condo unit short term, in order to generate income, should be made to comply with equivalent standards - and be liable for tax on un-earned income.

 

Also, as the former owner of a property in a 32 unit luxury condo, I enjoyed living there and the facilities were excellent and sufficient.

When, with the arrival of Airbnb and others, the steady flow of rented out units trebled, the facilities were unable to cope with the huge increase in use. For example, holiday makers tend to use the pool all day - residents for a swim then back to their unit.

The cost of maintenance and repair escalated as the facilities were stretched. The burden of these increased maintenance costs was spread amongst all the units with (you can guess this would happen), the non-resident renters being the loudest complainers and the least likely to pay.

In a number of cases only when holiday renters turned up to find no electricity in the unit could we get action on paying their share.

 

I have nothing against people renting out condos - I did so myself on occasion. However it needs to be both controlled and safe.

Now there are Condotels which are designed from the start to satisfy this market. Letting allowed only on certain floors, additional facilities, clearly defined rules for occupation and purchase. 

The Government should define the laws for Condotels and add restrictions to the Condominium laws. Then every current Condominium could vote as to which path they should follow.

[HOOD Robin]

13 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Good, these lets are a damn nuisance to legitimate residents, hurts the Hotel business and is illegal.

Yeah !

 

Also there are sooo manyyyy "short time" hotels where they dont bother with who is spending the night. The only thing they care about is the money !  On a regular base i spend the night in such hotels when i'm out for a night.. Two days ago it was also the case in a very busy entertainment area in Pattaya. They didnt even ask for my ID, just the money was important to them.... so do that mean they fill the brown envelop on a regular base ?  ????

[mercman24]

i had a narrow escape  years ago, was looking at a condo complex in Ekkamai, i go to reception, loads of people with suitcases,?? and the pool full of screaming kids, lucky i had a thai speaker with me, took a courtesy tutk tuk back to the BTS, my friend got talking to a thai girl, she say *you not going to buy here* its a nightmare,* it seemed half were sold, and they could not sell the rest, she said every 2 weeks 4 buses arrive with holiday makers then repeats, she cannot get the tuk tuk to go to work to catch the bts as its everyone fighting to get on the transport, those that bought were realy pissed off about it,  its was rather a nice complex, as well.

[bubba]

Anybody looking for a luxury room in Ekamai for tomorrow night? I see booking.com have some availabilities at C Condo for tomorrow night:

 

https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/c-ekkamai.html?aid=356980;label=gog235jc-1DCAso3QFCJ2ludGVybHV4LXByZW1pZXItc3VraHVtdml0LTEzLXJlc2lkZW5jZUgzWANo3QGIAQGYATG4AQfIAQzYAQPoAQH4AQKIAgGoAgO4ApacqOcFwAIB;sid=d524be60bd915dc583acb36efc0eb205;checkin=2019-05-27;checkout=2019-05-28;room1=A,A;homd=1;srpvid=c9641baf35a40159;srepoch=1558843015;atlas_src=hp_iw_title

 

https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/c-ekkamai-the-city-never-sleeps.html?aid=356980;label=gog235jc-1DCAso3QFCJ2ludGVybHV4LXByZW1pZXItc3VraHVtdml0LTEzLXJlc2lkZW5jZUgzWANo3QGIAQGYATG4AQfIAQzYAQPoAQH4AQKIAgGoAgO4ApacqOcFwAIB;sid=d524be60bd915dc583acb36efc0eb205;checkin=2019-05-27;checkout=2019-05-28;room1=A,A;homd=1;srpvid=c9641baf35a40159;srepoch=1558843009;atlas_src=hp_iw_title

 

 

 

 

[dinsdale]

So nationality of those running the show? I'll have a guess: Chinese.

[scorecard]

15 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

Excellent news!

Had this in my old condo in Bkk, it all came to a head when a loud mid-aged Thai lady rented one of the bigger condos and took up occupancy then tried to demand that she didn't need to use a door security card to get past the lobby (she was exempt) and even worse she seriously scolded the security guards who refused to allow her visitors to just bypass the security arrangements. Also, she was having loud organized parties which spilled into hallway late at night / early morning disturbing the owner occupiers. Plus she made it known she was interested to rent other condos by the day for further organized parties / events.

 

After one such party a large argument ensured with several owners and the police were called. The police charged the said lady with several offences and they got the LTO into the story to ensure there was a properly formed committee and an urgent general meeting called to discuss and agree voted policies which prohibited this stuff. It helped that 2 senior cops with families were owner / occupiers in the building. 

[robblok]

54 minutes ago, firestar said:

I know this won't go down well with the grumpies who like nothing better than other foreigners getting in trouble but despite what happened in Samui legally for houses the law isn't so clear cut

 

Under the Ministerial Regulation 2008, a hotel license is not required if the business 

• has not more than four rooms on all floors in all buildings, 
• has a total service capacity of no more than twenty guests
• Is deemed only "additional income",
• reports its daily rental business to the government

THe law is clear cut short time rentals are illegal. I would hate to live in a condo where it is allowed. So do many others and that is why people are against it. Common sense.. not so common in those who want to make a buck over the back of others.

[pkspeaker]

lol booking[.]com "Located 6.8 km from Gaysorn Shopping Mall, Luxury Condo in Sukhumvit offers accommodations with a balcony, as well as an outdoor swimming pool and a garden."

 

wow only 6.8 km from 'Gaysorn' .. you can tell the people who place these ads really know the area.

Edited May 26, 2019 by pkspeaker

[Jimdandy]

Two thumbs up. Great news.

[watso63]

About time they cracked down on this. It was one of the main reasons I sold my condo.

[lkv]

16 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Neither their name nor nationality was mentioned

Of course, when it's about Chinese, nationality cannot be mentioned, not to upset mother China.

 

The irony is, it was mentioned in the other thread started one week ago. We then found that C condo looked like Beijing for Songkran, with check in and check out facilities and maids on call to clean the rooms.

 

So they sort of turned the condo into a hotel, it wasn't very low profile.

Edited May 26, 2019 by lkv

[bubba]

53 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

So nationality of those running the show? I'll have a guess: Chinese.

 

Sort of looks that way to me.

 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/33214828

 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/33860940

Edited May 26, 2019 by bubba

[Jimbo2014]

40 Police for this raid! - I guess that explains why 30,000 people die on the roads each year and it takes 2 hours at immigration to get through.  Good thing they are prioritizing the important work!

[ThomasThBKK]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

THe law is clear cut short time rentals are illegal. I would hate to live in a condo where it is allowed. So do many others and that is why people are against it. Common sense.. not so common in those who want to make a buck over the back of others.

For condos yes as they can't fullfill the law he pasted.

For houses that qualify under this law - no, short term rentals aren't illegal.

They just make that up as they please. 

[brucegoniners]

Only in Thailand. This is done worldwide. Why is it even against the law?

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

So nationality of those running the show? I'll have a guess: Chinese.

Yup.

 

The yellow man is coming.

 

Boo!!!

 

Sleep tight. ????

 

Seriously though, you're a foreigner, they're foreign. What makes you exceptional? Please don't revert to 'they're not like us.' That's just pathetic. If the Thais want them, who are we to say any different?

[ThaiFelix]

I wonder why they wont mention the offenders are Chinese,  It has been all over the news lately.  Is it because the numbers are down on Chinese tourists?

[soistalker]

They used to rent a room at the end of the hall in my condo on a daily basis. Lots of door slammers. I asked an Englishman who doesn't live there to please close his door quietly, and he told me in a northern accent that it was daytime, and something  like what was I on about. I almost swung on him. He got an ear full in a proper American accent instead. 

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, brucegoniners said:

Only in Thailand. This is done worldwide. Why is it even against the law?

Could it be that Thailand is actually AHEAD of the curve on this one?
 

How can a country secure itself if they allow people to cross their border "on holiday" and vanish into the concrete jungle of a megalopolis like Bangkok?  How can building Be safe, secure, and quite with A Holes trashing the place?  How can we leave our wives alone when we have no idea WHO IS IN THE BUILDING???

 

PRO TIP: If you are too poor to rent a hotel, stay out of BKK.

Our building allowed this "day rental" to go on and at one point there were FIVE guys renting the unit next door, up partying until 4 AM every day.

I complained to the management.  They did nothing. (Surprise surprise!)

 

So I did it "The American Way" and "made them an offer they could not refuse"

 

They moved out the next day, the condo committee put up signs in the lobby, lifts, and on each floor.

"Problem Resolved"

 

 

 

[hottrader77]

17 hours ago, madmen said:

Great Work! now go get the other 50,000 renting rooms illegally across thailand

i used to rent my condo but at 1 year lease if you do 1 day or 1 week or even 1 month sometimes you get people just come to party and not look after it  

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 hours ago, Lee4Life said:

I was a bit surprised to see that the tourist police were involved in this deal, I guess I misunderstood their roll?

 You mean to arrest and otherwise harass tourists???

[metisdead]

An off topic post and a reply has been removed. 

[newatthis]

13 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Obviously the work of a jealous snitch as they are all around.

Don't know if they were jealous or not, but thank goodness for the snitch. People turning a blind eye just encourages law breaking. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Somebody kicked up a fuss on Facebook, the news got spread around, and the police were shamed into acting.... for ONE building.

 

Meanwhile, there are hundreds all around going on about their Air BnB business as usual.... and the Ekamai place probably will be back to its old habits sooner than later, as there's rarely any follow-up or consistent enforcement here...especially when there's money to be made.

 

[ThomasThBKK]

30 minutes ago, bangkokequity said:

Could it be that Thailand is actually AHEAD of the curve on this one?
 

How can a country secure itself if they allow people to cross their border "on holiday" and vanish into the concrete jungle of a megalopolis like Bangkok?  How can building Be safe, secure, and quite with A Holes trashing the place?  How can we leave our wives alone when we have no idea WHO IS IN THE BUILDING???

 

PRO TIP: If you are too poor to rent a hotel, stay out of BKK.

Our building allowed this "day rental" to go on and at one point there were FIVE guys renting the unit next door, up partying until 4 AM every day.

I complained to the management.  They did nothing. (Surprise surprise!)

 

So I did it "The American Way" and "made them an offer they could not refuse"

 

They moved out the next day, the condo committee put up signs in the lobby, lifts, and on each floor.

"Problem Resolved"

 

 

 

They aren't, these kind of rentals are illegal in most countries from Germany to the US.

 

When i lived in NYC we had exact same issues in our building, airbnb was illegal for short term rentals but no one really did something.

 

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/083115/top-cities-where-airbnb-legal-or-illegal.asp

 

airbnb sucks in cities. But i think it's just fair to seperate between someone owning his own house and land and renting that out and renting out shared premises.

 

I

[alzack]

 all ways was B & B in Thailand   Booz & Bonking

[Pravda]

1 hour ago, brucegoniners said:

Only in Thailand. This is done worldwide. Why is it even against the law?

 

It's not done worldwide, that is nonsense.

 

My condo in Toronto has strict rules against short term rentals. Most well manages condos in fact do.

 

People don't want their condo to be used as hotel and watch their investment deteriorate. 

[NoComment]

I am sure this is not the first or the last.

This will continue with the emergence of more and more Chinese. The word "foreigner" is used for Chinese people.

Everyone is aware that the Chinese are here to buy property, rent their property and make money. Everyone should be aware that the authorities will not stop this happening for the Chinese. The occasional raid(for the newspaper) will change nothing.

A few years ago the Russians were allowed to do whatever they wanted and this will be repeated yet again when the next country decides to invest in Thailand.

Everyone should remember that this is an amazing Kingdom open to all nationalities, always has been and always will be. Nothing will change.

The Chinese will continue to arrive, (for now)spend their money, take over certain areas and it will be allowed to happen.

Thailand is a wonderful place compared to the rest so everyone should be excited and grateful to be living the Kingdom.