The government has issued a warning to foreigners who buy condominium units and rent them out as hotels that they are violating Thai law.
The warning comes after the authorities learned about many cases of Chinese nationals renting out their condominium rooms to tourists via Airbnb.
Residents at some condominiums, mainly in the Sukhumvit area, have complained about constant annoyance, including loud noise, cannabis smoking and damage to common property caused by short-term occupants and visitors.
According to their complaints, which were shared online, these short-term occupants were tourists who rented rooms via online platforms. The rooms were owned by Chinese nationals and rented out as Airbnb accommodations.
Keycards to access the condo and the room were provided in lock boxes with digital codes for the tourists, which jeopardised the safety of the residents, according to the complaints.
Some said their condominium juristic offices resolved the problems by prohibiting unit owners from installing public lockboxes within the property. However, the Chinese investors then installed lockboxes in public areas near the property, including on trees, light poles or street-side food carts.
Foreign investors' buying of condominium units and their attempts to offer rooms for daily rentals via Airbnb without legal permits violates the Hotel Act 2004.
Violators will face a fine of up to 20,000 baht plus an additional 10,000 baht fine per day until such activities end. Most condominium regulations also clearly prohibit daily rentals.
