Recent developments have given me cause for concern. If I rent an airbnb place for two or three weeks near Pattaya am I likely to have any problems with police or immigration?

Its the owner who is responsible. But it is possible that if there is a problem you could be evicted without refund, nothing more, or so I have read.

If you were evicted (very, very unlikely), you would get yr money back from Airbnb. They cannot afford the hit on their reputation for customers of Airbnb to be losing money.

In Thailand it's against the law to rent a condominium for less than a month. The owner is breaking the Thai Hotel Act.  A number of condos have started to crack down on these illegal rentals.   It's likely the owner will not report your address to Immigration since he is breaking the law so you will need to do this yourself--I don't think I would want to do that since you have rented an illegal room.   The other thing is condos are for residents--both owners and long-term renters. They aren't hotels and the residents really, really don't want you there.  Why go where you aren't wanted and you have the possibility of getting in trouble with the law and Immigration?  Stay at a hotel--that's what they are there for.

5 minutes ago, RandG said:

If you were evicted (very, very unlikely), you would get yr money back from Airbnb. They cannot afford the hit on their reputation for customers of Airbnb to be losing money.

Make sure you book and pay through AirBNB's website to qualify for their refund policy. I would ask the host to report your stay at immigration, it's their responsibility.  

... I would be more concerned with the people staying at your place, they trash it,  you're up the klong....

3 hours ago, RandG said:

If you were evicted (very, very unlikely), you would get yr money back from Airbnb. They cannot afford the hit on their reputation for customers of Airbnb to be losing money.

working with airbnb already 3 years

you will certainly get all your money back

and as usual al this news is thai BS!!

If you are worried about it then book for a month (often 40%+ discount) and leave early.

again a lot of bashers, who don´t know anything, the owner has to report your stay to the Imigration, it´s not your problem, and it is also no risk for the owner as Imigration is not interested if you pay something for your stay or not or how much. And there is no law about renting time, you can rent out your house for a day or a week or 30 years. In Thai law is no specification

53 minutes ago, chickenrunCM said:

again a lot of bashers, who don´t know anything, the owner has to report your stay to the Imigration, it´s not your problem, and it is also no risk for the owner as Imigration is not interested if you pay something for your stay or not or how much. And there is no law about renting time, you can rent out your house for a day or a week or 30 years. In Thai law is no specification

I don't know about houses but short-term rents are against the law with condos.  The owner is suppose to report your stay to Immigration but if they are breaking the law it's doubtful that they will.

On 5/13/2017 at 5:37 PM, RandG said:

If you were evicted (very, very unlikely), you would get yr money back from Airbnb. They cannot afford the hit on their reputation for customers of Airbnb to be losing money.

BS.  Just read a story the other day about a woman who rented a place in some European city, Paris I think, and got taken.  She's having to try & depend on her bank to make it right, but since a foreign tfr was involved it's a time-consuming and indefinite process. Airbnb isn't helping as she apparently did as the ad posted on the Airbnb website said to do instead of complying with the Airbnb fine print to only pay via the website.

 

But WRT Thailand specifically, IVO of the whole TM30 crap, I'd avoid any private rentals, esp incl Airbnb, at least until Immigration makes up its mind to not target tourists with with something even the owners don't understand.

On 14/05/2017 at 0:06 AM, fdch said:

working with airbnb already 3 years

you will certainly get all your money back

and as usual al this news is thai BS!!

Hi fd ... am interested when you say that you have been involved with AirBnB for three years ... as a HOST i imagine??

 

If so would really like to discuss with you how you get around the min inbound transfer fee of 200 baht that the banks levy on international incomings??

 

Thanks.

On 6/23/2017 at 0:19 PM, Rfah said:

If so would really like to discuss with you how you get around the min inbound transfer fee of 200 baht that the banks levy on international incomings??

 

Thanks.

 

Transferring money costs money.  It's a cost of doing business.   You can minimize it by telling AirBnB to only transfer money when a certain amount is reached, for example only do a transfer once you get to 10K.   (e.g 4 stays of 3000 baht each)

 

You can also pay out to PayPal and then transfer via Bangkok Bank's New York branch, altough fees do apply there, too.