I have read that there have been some hotels/guesthouses being closed in Pattaya for lack of proper licensing.   Has anyone seen/heard any reports of this in Chiang Mai??

I can think of at least a few in the last year....not sure of what time frame you are concerned about (ie very recent)

 

The one that was covered by Tha media was quite high profile due to ownership.  Covered in English here.

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30297224 and http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/news/eastin-tan-hotel-temporarily-closed-by-police-over-lack-of-hotel-licence/

 

Not sure if it is up and running agan now...but the local Thai media was very saturated with coverage of this closure given llinks.

 

De Chen guesthouse was closed  for not having a licence and reported in CM108.  It is certainly still closed now.  Not open very long and seemed to have Chinese focus...had a pretty full occupancy given location.  I used ot drive past it most evenings.   I seem to recall all the photos of inspectors/police etc on CM108 as remember quite suprised as thought it was a viable business.  Likewise covered in English.  Their web site is still up.

 

You also more recently had the Pause and Play for not having a licence.

 

In early December it was reported in the paper we cannot link to that there was over 600 unlicensed guest houses and hotels (mostly dorms and apartments) in CM.  At that point they were all given 30 days to get a license.  I just thought  that now what we thought the "peak" season has passed there  might be a bit of a tidy up so that licensed premises can get a share of the (to me) diminishing market without the bad publicity of guests being turfed on to the street.

 

The link also discussed Pattaya and Phuket where it appeared that about a third of hotels/guest houses were not licensed....and suggested that 60% of hotels rooms nationally were operating illegally ....and they had a plan to fix within 5 years :)  according to Deputy PM.

 

Same paper reported less than a week ago that 30 premises had been closed in Pats over last few weeks.

But we can say 'The Bangkok Post' without any problem.

@mamborobert Eastin has reopened but is now operating on a 30 day minimum stay basis as it doesn't have a hotel license.

I know of one that got closed down and has since reopened with paperwork in place. Manager was fined and spent a night in jail

Looks like it is actually cranking up here.  At least a few of teh hotels seemed to have got the license issue cleaned up in teh 30 day grace period.