AirB&B/Booking.com Apartments in BKK

[Slut1215]

Hi, I understand short term rentals of less than 30days are considered as illegal in Thailand. Hence those bookings which we may book via sites like AirB&B or Booking.com might be a problem.

Do any of you have stories to share on issues encountered by yourself or friends etc when booking such a stay?

Thank you

[vaughn]

I have only done it a couple of times. I had a situation where i rented an airbnb but the building by-laws prohibited short time rental so the building manager would follow me around every time i was coming in and out, it was a minor inconvenience and the owners fault they weren't respecting the building restrictions, but still was a bit annoying.

[bkkmfj2648]

I can't speak for BKK and the AirBnB situation.

However, I can speak about Vietnam - where the Vietnam government is also cracking down on AirBnB rentals that are less than 30 days.

Consequently, I rented an AirBnB condo in Da Nang for 40 days to avoid any issues.

From various YouTube videos that I have seen on how enforcement is made - it seems to NOT be via the AirBnB service but instead via:

• Juristic office of said condo building where they take note of the coming and goings of guests and check via their security team if you truly have a contract for more than > 30 days,
• Snitching - there were cases were condo neighbors who did not like the coming and goings of AirBnB guests reported this to the authorities, security team, and Juristic office.

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/business/property/hcmc-bans-airbnb-like-short-term-lease-of-residential-apartments-4856470.html

However, I am not sure if the same reporting for illegal activities mechanisms would be the same in BKK.

[Slut1215]

Thank you guys....yeah I also have a booking for HCM, VN in end Dec'2025. I need to relook at my hotel bookings for both trips.

[reader]

7 hours ago, Slut1215 said:

Hi, I understand short term rentals of less than 30days are considered as illegal in

It's illegal in province of Bangkok, not entire country, I believe.

[jason1975]

I saw some apartments in Silom on Airbnb also being listed on Agoda!

[tm_nyc]

13 hours ago, Slut1215 said:

Do any of you have stories to share on issues encountered by yourself or friends etc when booking such a stay?

Usually AirBNB listings are accompanied by reviews by previous guests.  You could check & see whether or not the reviews mention problems that the previous guests have encountered.  

[fedssocr]

I stayed at an Airbnb in BKK once. I felt like a criminal going in and out through the parking garage backdoor.

There are lots of serviced apartments around the city which are a good alternative. More space, somewhat cheaper than a regular hotel, often include a washer/dryer.

[Marc308]

Alas much of the world is going through a severe housing crisis. Local residents are being thrown out of their long-term residences as owners convert their properties to short-term rentals. The crisis is particularly severe here in Hawaii, and critically severe on Maui, after the Lahaina fires. On Maui up to 1/3 of rented residences are either empty or converted to AirBnB-style use.

I'm not sure what the answer is. A decent hotel on/near the beach here will likely cost you around $800/night, which to my mind is totally crazy and forces visitors to consider more affordable alternatives, including inducing them to break the law. 

In Pattaya some of the new buildings are waging a kind of warfare against short-termers. This is especially true of Copacabana, the glitzy newish Jomtien condo where some residents have reported having to sneak into their accommodation. 

 

[CallMeLee]

4 hours ago, fedssocr said:

I stayed at an Airbnb in BKK once. I felt like a criminal going in and out through the parking garage backdoor.

Same experience here. Also, what I observed was that the notices posted in these properties made it sound like it will be us the guests who will be prosecuted/penalised if things go pear shaped. 

[bkkmfj2648]

After my 62 days in the Philippines - mainly in the Cebu metropolitan area - my AirBnB experience was very different (than what is being discussed in this thread) in ALL of the 5 different AirBnB condos that I rented during my stay.

In each of the 4 distinct condo buildings - from mid-range to luxurious - there was:

• no need to hide that I was staying in an AirBnB,
• the security team of each building was working with the AirBnB condo owner to facilitate BOTH the security clearance and check-in to the physical condo unit,
• when the owner of said AirBnB condo was (rarely) unavailable I was told to discuss my needs / queries directly with the front desk of each condo building.

So, the Philippine AirBnB experience was not to be hidden or to encounter feelings of shame - but instead it was embraced as a positive desired experience.

I understand, from reading various news reports from around the world, that there is a current movement against the "sharing economy" - mainly in the AirBnB and Booking.com segments - as opposed to the ride-sharing and food delivery segments (Uber, Grab, Bolt, etc.) due to increasing housing prices for residents in said local economies.

Why is the Philippines the exception ?

[BjornAgain]

Down to the law. In Thailand there is The Hotel Act and The Condominium Act. In short, The Hotel Act covers short term rentals, whereas The Condominium covers the organisation of a Condo. There is no clause in the Condo Act covering rentals, however this is traditionally covered and the Rules and Regulations of the Condo, and administered by the Juristic Person / Officer that all owners have signed up to.

Condo owners can short term rent (less than 30 days) their Condo, however, this would be regulated under the Condo Rules & Regs, and whether the owner has obtained a Hotel License.

A Hotel License can be applied for an individual room / unit as well as the whole building. Some Condo's have done this to cover all units, thereby allowing individual owners to short term rent their unit.

If you check on AirBnB for Thailand there is a category for Hotels that cover the traditional Hotel as well as 'Hotel Licensed' individual units. 

The other point to check, is whether your AirBnB owner forfills their legal obligation in submitting a TM30 within  24 hours of your arrival to Immigration informing them of your new temporary address.

 

[bkkmfj2648]

57 minutes ago, BjornAgain said:

The other point to check, is whether your AirBnB owner forfills their legal obligation in submitting a TM30 within  24 hours of your arrival to Immigration informing them of your new temporary address.

Well, when I moved here as a new retiree in September 2022, I rented an AirBnB in one of the Dongtan beach View Talays (VT), as I wanted to test drive if I would like VT life as a retiree.  It also gave me time to meet with various realtors in the same building complex to eventually find the VT condo that I am currently renting.

This experience was enlightening, because the AirBnB owner properly reported me to the Immigration Authority when his short term AirBnB condo busines filed a TM.30 on my behalf.

When I signed my 2 year condo contract (good way to help mitigate the impact of rental inflation), the realty company for that contract filed a NEW TM.30, which encountered complications with the Immigration Authority as to how the physical address of this VT is defined in their database.  

Each of the original TM.30 filers claimed that the other party did it wrong. I later discovered that these 2 parties had rivalry from the days when this VT complex was built, back in 2007.

It was like a pissing match.  I let them fight it out to the pleasure of the Immigration Authority, as to which format of this VT complex is "correct".

Thank God I got this sorted out BEFORE I had to show my face at Immigration to aquire my first non O retirement visa - as a "correct" address is required.

 

[BjornAgain]

1 hour ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

...Each of the original TM.30 filers claimed that the other party did it wrong. I later discovered that these 2 parties had rivalry from the days when this VT complex was built, back in 2007...

 

Had an issue last year, in that my Landlord applied for my TM30 whilst I was out the country. So technically invalid. My Landlord used a friend who works at Soi 6, who ensured my Landlord this was still valid. Landlord obviously believed his friend, after much insistence on my part, my Landlord applied for a new TM30 and was fined 1600THB for not applying within 24 hours of my Visa stamp in my passport.

What was interesting, I know my landlord rents another property, so despite passing on details for how to register for the Online system and request for free, he insists on paying his friend. I know he was loosing money, as my Lease Agreement had a clause I was liable for 400THB per additional TM30 after the initial move in, he was paying his friend 500THB each time. 

 

[Patanawet]

On 4/21/2025 at 11:19 AM, vaughn said:

I have only done it a couple of times. I had a situation where i rented an airbnb but the building by-laws prohibited short time rental so the building manager would follow me around every time i was coming in and out, it was a minor inconvenience and the owners fault they weren't respecting the building restrictions, but still was a bit annoying.

It can't be much fun for residents living in apartment blocks when holidaymakers occupy rooms for a few days holiday which might involve late night room and corridor parties.
Some nations are worse than others for this.

[hojacat]

On 4/20/2025 at 9:53 PM, Slut1215 said:

Thank you guys....yeah I also have a booking for HCM, VN in end Dec'2025. I need to relook at my hotel bookings for both trips.

I have stayed a few times with the last being just in March at an Airbnb in HCMC called Soho Hotel and Residencies. It's a high rise near the walking street. I would say around 50 percent of the building is occupied with short-term guests. You can book through Airbnb, Bookings, Agoda or they even have their own website. I think based on where you book you might even have daily cleaning included. I have booked through Airbnb, so never got it but I have seen the cleaning lady going into some rooms. Think next time might ask the host if they can provide it cause after just the third night my bedsheets show the signs of the high activity level I have on my bed. Checking in has always been super easy. Just walk in straight to the mailbox, get the elevator key and then use a code provided for the apartment's door. Never had to check in or register any of my guests and I have brought people over pretty much every hour of the day or night, from 8:00am-5:00am. they even have free parking, which is pretty useful. 

I usually book a studio apartment, but it's quite spacious, offers great views and even has a washing machine. I hope that because it's registered also as an hotel they will continue operating in the same way. I don't really wanna use an hotel again in HCMC or Vietnam for that matter. The boutique ones are not that good and the one from international chains have too many restrictions when it comes to guests.

In Phnom Phen have used kinda the same type of place the last three times. It's called M residences. It's a high rise and they offer both short-term and long-term apartments. There also have never had an issues with bringing guys at my place.

As for Bangkok, I only did it three times in late 2019 and early 2020. I stayed at this place called Klass Silom. As mentioned in here, you had to go through the garage to get in as the front gate would open only by scanning your fingerprints. During the check-in you would had to wait for someone to go in so you could get inside and then get the key in the mailbox. I remember the last time, even the garage was not accessible anymore, so you actually had to wait each time for someone to get in through the main gate so you could also sneak in. Needless to say, that was my last time in there as hotel rates also were quite cheap once Bangkok reopened after Covid.

Now though as rates keep going up, I wouldn't mind exploring again the possibility of staying at an Airbnb. Does anyone have any good recommendation for places at Silom?

[zoomomancs]

In 2024 I used airbnb three times for short stays in Vietnam, once in Saigon and twice in Nha Trang with no issues. I was impressed with all of them. Also once for a week in Bangkok which went fine.