Thai authorities are escalating efforts to address the proliferation of illegal daily condominium rentals, particularly in tourist hubs such as Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket.

The House Committee on Consumer Protection has called for collaboration between state agencies and online accommodation booking platforms to ensure that only properly registered hotels and accommodation providers can accept online bookings.

Under the Hotel Act of 2004, properties rented out for less than 30 days are required to obtain a hotel license.

Violators face fines of up to 20,000 baht, with an additional daily fine of 10,000 baht until the illegal rental activity ceases.

Despite these regulations, many condominium units are being illegally rented out through online platforms, often by foreign investors.

In response to a surge in complaints, particularly in the Sukhumvit and Sathon areas, the Ministry of Interior has instructed the Department of Provincial Administration to closely monitor the situation and carry out inspections.

Recent operations have led to the prosecution of illegal condominium-hotel operations in Bangkok's Pratunam and Sutthisan districts, as well as in Pattaya.

Authorities have identified tactics used by operators to evade detection, such as placing room keys in automated parcel lockers and instructing guests to check in independently.

Evidence collected during raids includes booking documents, proof of payment for daily rentals, and ownership records of the condominium units.

The Thai Hotels Association has urged the government to amend existing laws and enforce stricter penalties to tackle the issue of daily condo rentals by foreign investors.

The association estimates that unregulated short-term rentals are siphoning billions of baht from licensed hotels and disrupting residential communities.

To strengthen enforcement, the government is considering the development of a system linking the database of hotel and accommodation licensees with online travel agencies.

This would require any property registered to provide lodging services to input a legally valid license code, thereby preventing unlicensed properties from accepting online bookings.

Additionally, the Ministry of Interior has emphasized the importance of public awareness about the legal issues and negative impacts of illegal rentals.

Citizens are encouraged to report any infractions to the authorities.

The government has also issued a warning to foreigners who buy condo units and rent them out as hotel rooms that they are violating the law.