Airbnb Business Options for Foreigner?

[TravelingWell]

Can someone help me with a question: I am recently married to a Thai citizen. I am a U.S. citizen and work in the U.S. on a "gig/contract" basis. What are the rules/visa requirements/etc to rent out a leased apartment on Airbnb when we are not in Thailand? What if it turned out well and I opted to buy a condo and Airbnb it out? What visas are required for me?

[dimitriv]

It is not allowed to rent out with airbnb for periods shorter than 1 month. If you do they will see it as a hotel business.

Expecting to make money with airbnb is probably a bad idea.  Unless you are willing to break the rules.

 

And if you lease the apartment you probably also need permission from the owner to rent it out to others.

 

I think the visa requirement is the last thing to worry about.

[Sanjay Jaybhay]

Airbnb is illegal in Thailand. The people who do it, do it illegally. Need to have a hotel license to do short term rentals less than 1 month.  So asking a visa for an illegal activity is  not recommended. Dont buy property based on short term airbnb rentals. If you buy then must be only for long term rentals of more than 1 month. If you have a leased condo in Thailand if they allow you to sublet the condo. Many owners put in the contract that the condo cannot be sublet or rent to others. 

[TravelingWell]

I should have clarified. I planned on renting out for 60 - 90 days or so - which would the time away from the country. Is this allowed under a visa barring any lease term exclusions?

[DaRoadrunner]

Not sure what your actual inquiry is? If you are thinking of getting a Visa to run an Airbnb business, this is not going to happen. Most get an ordinary Visa and do Airbnb on the quiet, providing you own the property. If you are renting the property then most lease agreements do not allow sublets.

[elviajero]

10 minutes ago, TravelingWell said:

I should have clarified. I planned on renting out for 60 - 90 days or so - which would the time away from the country. Is this allowed under a visa barring any lease term exclusions?

If you are personally involved in letting out the property you would be working illegally unless you have a work permit; which you won’t get. No problem if an agent or your wife manages the letting.

[bartender100]

6 hours ago, dimitriv said:

It is not allowed to rent out with airbnb for periods shorter than 1 month. If you do they will see it as a hotel business.

Expecting to make money with airbnb is probably a bad idea.  Unless you are willing to break the rules.

 

And if you lease the apartment you probably also need permission from the owner to rent it out to others.

 

I think the visa requirement is the last thing to worry about.

Have you looked recently at ABB, hundreds of condos available for less then 30 days in Pattaya and Bangkok

[Vacuum]

1 hour ago, bartender100 said:

Have you looked recently at ABB, hundreds of condos available for less then 30 days in Pattaya and Bangkok

Doesn't make it legal though.

[robertson468]

6 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Doesn't make it legal though.

You also need to be registered as a Business and have a proper fire certificate for the accommodation.  If you don't have these, Airbnb will not allow you to advertise on their website.  There are other websites that you can join with much less hassle.  Would recommend that you have a look around the internet.........they are all there!

[dotpoom]

15 hours ago, dimitriv said:

And if you lease the apartment you probably also need permission from the owner to rent it out to others.

I think not so.... I bought a condo 18 months ago on the beach, it was to be our final home going into our old age (G/f of 10 yrs). Because I only had the money in Thailand I purchased it in her name temporarily until I got that bit sorted. When I got it sorted she refused to sell it back to me. As I have lived here 20 yrs. and learned a little about trusting people I took precautions. I had myself registered as a tenant/lease for 20 yrs. (reckoned I'd be dead when that expires at 88) in the Chanote (she cannot sell it without my signature and visa-versa). We have since split up. I am in the process now of locking up the condo and walking away from it... To be truthful, I find it too lonely living there alone at 70 yrs. of age and thinking of moving to Spain.

  I consulted our "family" lawyer and asked her what are my rights....She said I can stay in the condo till the lease expires...or I can rent it out..."Up to Me"...as they say.

  Because I can have a "black" heart...I have another reason for leaving it...The maintenance is 10,000 Bt. a year....which means she will have a nice bill of 180,000 Bt (18 yrs. left on lease) when she has full control of the condo.

  I had another "brainstorm" though. If I can find a charitable organization ...say...for sick children...or similar...I will let them take over the condo for use as a "holiday home"...for week-end breaks etc,./ or whatever they can use it for.... Have actually started my search today.

  PS...If any of you out there (no prophets of "doom and gloom"...or "drama queens" required) know of any worth while cause I would be very grateful for your input. All ideas welcomed....And...it would make this old guy very very happy indeed to have been given an opportunity to bring a little joy into a few lives.

[newnative]

15 hours ago, TravelingWell said:

I should have clarified. I planned on renting out for 60 - 90 days or so - which would the time away from the country. Is this allowed under a visa barring any lease term exclusions?

   Provided your landlord allows sub-leases and the rentals are for more than 30 days it wouldn't be any different from other rentals considered long-term (over 30 days), which are allowed without getting a work permit or anything else.  

[sandyf]

16 hours ago, dimitriv said:

It is not allowed to rent out with airbnb for periods shorter than 1 month. If you do they will see it as a hotel business.

That is incorrect as is any other reference to Airbnb being illegal.

It depends on the number of rooms and I think it is above 4 when a hotel licence is required. The exception is condos where the courts ruled that all rooms in the complex should be taken into account irrespective of how many are actually owned.

It is the owners that breach the law not Airbnb.

[JamJar]

14 hours ago, dotpoom said:

I think not so.... I bought a condo 18 months ago on the beach, it was to be our final home going into our old age (G/f of 10 yrs). Because I only had the money in Thailand I purchased it in her name temporarily until I got that bit sorted. When I got it sorted she refused to sell it back to me. As I have lived here 20 yrs. and learned a little about trusting people I took precautions. I had myself registered as a tenant/lease for 20 yrs. (reckoned I'd be dead when that expires at 88) in the Chanote (she cannot sell it without my signature and visa-versa). We have since split up. I am in the process now of locking up the condo and walking away from it... To be truthful, I find it too lonely living there alone at 70 yrs. of age and thinking of moving to Spain.

  I consulted our "family" lawyer and asked her what are my rights....She said I can stay in the condo till the lease expires...or I can rent it out..."Up to Me"...as they say.

  Because I can have a "black" heart...I have another reason for leaving it...The maintenance is 10,000 Bt. a year....which means she will have a nice bill of 180,000 Bt (18 yrs. left on lease) when she has full control of the condo.

  I had another "brainstorm" though. If I can find a charitable organization ...say...for sick children...or similar...I will let them take over the condo for use as a "holiday home"...for week-end breaks etc,./ or whatever they can use it for.... Have actually started my search today.

  PS...If any of you out there (no prophets of "doom and gloom"...or "drama queens" required) know of any worth while cause I would be very grateful for your input. All ideas welcomed....And...it would make this old guy very very happy indeed to have been given an opportunity to bring a little joy into a few lives.

 

 

Where is it located? Why not get someone to manage it for you?

[Peter Denis]

18 hours ago, dotpoom said:

  I had another "brainstorm" though. If I can find a charitable organization ...say...for sick children...or similar...I will let them take over the condo for use as a "holiday home"...for week-end breaks etc,./ or whatever they can use it for.... Have actually started my search today.

  PS...If any of you out there (no prophets of "doom and gloom"...or "drama queens" required) know of any worth while cause I would be very grateful for your input. All ideas welcomed....And...it would make this old guy very very happy indeed to have been given an opportunity to bring a little joy into a few lives.

That would be a very nice thing to do!

Unfortunately your post is now burried in this AirBNB thread.

So I suggest you create a different post with a catchy title (e.g. Looking for a charity to use my condo in xxx for free as holiday home), which will get more exposure and hopefully response.