Daily Rentals in Bangkok Condos: A Growing Legal Dilemma

[snoop1130]

Picture courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

In the bustling neighbourhood of Sukhumvit 11, a condominium is drawing ire from its residents and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). Allegations have surfaced that half of the building's 450 units are being rented out daily on platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com. This has shone a spotlight on Thailand's ongoing struggle with enforcing short-term rental laws.

 

The root of the issue appears to be a lax enforcement of existing laws, such as the 1979 Building Control Act, according to which such rentals could be deemed illegal. Although the BMA conducted an inspection and identified these activities, no legal measures have been taken. A letter from the Wattana district office, sent in January, sought further details on unit owners violating these laws, but outcomes remain pending.

 

A foreign resident, also a unit owner, expressed concerns over the disruptive nature and safety risks brought by these transient guests. He highlighted that daily check-ins have been organised, and housekeeping services are visibly operating to accommodate the continuous flow of guests. The situation exacerbates as signs prohibiting such rentals have been removed.

 

 

Speculation surrounds a Taiwanese national, who since mid-2022 has chaired the condo’s board and is allegedly managing the rental operation. Furthermore, claims suggest that a significant portion of these arrangements involve long-term lessees subletting units for short stays, with some owners possibly unaware of the breach in legality.

 

The condo developer is reported to have actively participated by allocating units for this scheme. The juristic management recently shifted to a company linked to a prominent firm on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, yet this has done little to curb daily rentals.

 

Patcha Techaruvichit of the Thai Hotels Association highlighted that the phenomenon extends beyond Sukhumvit 11, particularly in tourist-heavy areas like Pratunam Market. She emphasised that, while some countries are adapting to the model, Thailand ought to tread carefully, given potential safety discrepancies compared to standard hotels. The issue underscores a broader trend of weak law enforcement, leaving many residents like our source frustrated and helpless, reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-03-04

 

 

[tomazbodner]

How hard is it to summon Agoda/Booking/AirBnB and tell them they'll be made illegal in Thailand and blocked off unless they hand over the documentation on all non-hotel rentals for the past 7 years - along with all the amounts paid for rentals, find the owners of the units, bank accounts of who that was transferred to - and grab them for taxes, false tax filing penalties, illegal rental penalties, and give them 30 days to settle the bills or confiscate their units and put them up for sale.

 

All data is there. Platforms have info on bank accounts of those renting out properties and length of stay they were rented for. Banks have confirmation of that - surely they hold records of payments, and so do online providers. Land department has the records of who owned the place at the time of offense. How hard can it be?

[Tropicalevo]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The root of the issue appears to be a lax enforcement of existing laws, such as the 1979 Building Control Act, according to which such rentals could be deemed illegal.

 

So not illegal yet?

[lordgrinz]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The root of the issue appears to be a lax enforcement of existing laws

 

Literally every problem in Thailand can be attributed to this, I wonder what the solution is....hmmm.

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

In the bustling neighbourhood of Sukhumvit 11, a condominium is drawing ire from its residents and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). Allegations have surfaced that half of the building's 450 units are being rented out daily on platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com. This has shone a spotlight on Thailand's ongoing struggle with enforcing short-term rental laws.

What did they expect, Condos are commonly used as an investment.

[khunjeff]

22 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The root of the issue appears to be a lax enforcement of existing laws

 

The bigger "root" is that developers keep building huge towers with units the size of hotel rooms. That makes it easier to sell them out at relatively low prices to people who are desperate to be property owners, but realistically there are very few people who want to live long-term in units that tiny (and it's essentially impossible for families). So once you've bought a unit that no one actually wants to live in, what do you do with it? Not surprisingly, tourists who would otherwise stay in hotels are fine with apartments the size of hotel rooms...

[Emdog]

"A Growing Legal Dilemma" what dilemma? Here is the definition:

"a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones"

Is enforcing the law seen as an undesirable alternative? hmm maybe it is here in Thailand.... never mind

[lordgrinz]

18 hours ago, khunjeff said:

 

The bigger "root" is that developers keep building huge towers with units the size of hotel rooms. That makes it easier to sell them out at relatively low prices to people who are desperate to be property owners, but realistically there are very few people who want to live long-term in units that tiny (and it's essentially impossible for families). So once you've bought a unit that no one actually wants to live in, what do you do with it? Not surprisingly, tourists who would otherwise stay in hotels are fine with apartments the size of hotel rooms...

 

Wrong, my wife rents out multiple units here in Bangkok, with at least 1-2 year leases, which are usually renewed. She has absolutely no problem at all filling them, usually people are fighting to get into a unit.

[Celsius]

11 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

 

Wrong, my wife rents out multiple units here in Bangkok, with at least 1-2 year leases, which are usually renewed. She has absolutely no problem at all filling them, usually people are fighting to get into a unit.

 

I doubt it and I am 100% sure this is a lie. I don't care what area this simply does not exist in Thailand unless....

 

.....you are offering units 30% below market value.

 

I put out our car for sale. Attached 3 conditions to sell it 10% below what a dealer would buy. I got 300 messages in one hour too....people begging and crying to sell it to them.