Hey all, welcome back to another video. We had a pretty interesting and disappointing experience in Bangkok, Thailand. We love Bangkok as a whole, we just think people need to be made aware of this situation as we would not want this to happen to anyone else. Let us know your thoughts on the whole issue below, we are interested to hear what you have to say. Stay tuned for more videos from Bangkok, Thailand:)
I had a similar experience in bkk cuz of the Airbnb booking. It was terrifying. We enjoyed our stay in the condo the first night but we wondered why people at the pool look at us in such a hostile way. Then when we went up to our room, there was a big warning banner stand in front of the elevator saying that it’s illegal to stay in the building as it’s only for residents. And I remember there was a handcuff symbol on that banner as well and it was horrifying. It was a very bad experience that we never expected!
I had some thai authorities told me Airbnb is only illegal if staying under 1 month and there must be a contracting stating people who stay more than 30 days. If the airbnb host does not provide proper document, then it is illegal. This is what I was told by authorities before 2020. Basically, if you stay less than 30 days it is illegal, and more than 30 days must have paperwork from airbnb host.
@@ayebo15 talk to your Airbnb host for documents. The Thai local are mad too about the new regulations. They will protect us. Talk to your air bnb host they will help. Nothing to be afraid of. The court issue a document for us to sign. If your Airbnb knows , they will have us sign and if any residents nearby want to cause issues (which is non existent from what the other foreigner UA-cam channel claims) , the airbnb host will provide the documents for any local authority to understand. 👍 Trust Thai people not the authority. 🙏🙏🙏
I own an apartment in Bangkok, one of the terms and conditions of the compound is that listing or subletting unit temporarily such as Airbnb is prohibited and against the law. But still I see different tourists coming in and out the building on daily basis which I don’t feel comfortable with. My building used to be so quiet and private, with this airbnb trend, the privacy has now gone. I can actually report this to the police or to building’s management but I just don’t wanna to too nasty about it.
Nannan Th we absolutely agreed with the law though. It is not fair for private home owners to have to deal with strangers in their building all the time. Not only is it an issue of privacy but of safety as well. That is why we are furious with Airbnb as a company for not taking the listings off of their platform, or even warning their customers in advance. If you feel the need to report the subleasing then please do. However, please remember that it is the landlord that should be punished and not the tourist. We were naive tourists that didn’t know any better🙈
Is it Ok to book Airbnb in Bangkok if booking for 1 month? I like the area close to Asok station, and a hotel can be expensive for 31 days. I spent about $4000 USD the last trip for my hotel in that area.
Scuba Tom we are really not sure. According to our understanding, booking for more than 1 month isn’t considered short-term renting so you should be fine. It all depends on the building and how strictly they enforce the rules. Perhaps talk to the Airbnb host before you book?
Firstly, AirBnB does not provide accommodation. AirBnB is a 'tech' company. It is a facilitator that matches a provider of accommodation with the person who wants accommodation. It is business model is the same as Agoda or Booking.com etc (or Uber, which matches those who require transportation with providers of transportation). Using AirBnB is not illegal in Thailand. What is illegal is for a owner of a unit of accommodation in a building to provide accommodation for less than a 30 days unless the building complies with the Hotel Act. Also the vast majority of condominium also have condominium rules that prohibit the short term rental of the condominiums. The condominium rules form part of the contract of purchase. Not complying with the rules is potentially breach of the contract by the owner. It is a civil matter rather criminal matter. It is the provider of the accommodation that is potentially subject to both the criminal and civil action not the person who rented the accommodation. There is also the issue of non compliance with the Immigration Act by both the person providing the accommodation and the person staying in the accommodation. If a non Thai stays overnight in accommodation the owner of the accommodation is required to report to the Thai Immigration Department that the non Thai is stay is staying in the accommodation. Normally, if you stay in a hotel etc they do it and you don't even notice that it is being done. It becomes a 'big' issue for people who rent a single condo because it is a 'lot of paperwork'. The above is applicable to the whole of Thailand, not just Bangkok. However, Thailand is not Switzerland, Germany or Japan. Enforcement of laws in Thailand is somewhat problematic to say the least. There are many, many instances where laws are not enforced. Many condominiums in tourist areas are in effect 'contels'. The problem is that individual owners have an incentive to break the rules to the cost of their neighbors. The problem with short term accommodation is a worldwide issue. It is not a Thailand issue. The same problems occur in London, New York, Melbourne etc. The local authorities across the world are having the problems dealing with it. The is also two different types of accommodation buildings in Thailand. There are buildings which have what are called 'apartments' and there are buildings which are called 'condominiums'. Apartment buildings are owned by one owner and the rents out all the rooms in the building. The owner generally lets out the rooms on daily, weekly, monthly, 6 monthly basis. The owner also does the Immigration reporting. Condominiums have a different ownership structure. The rooms in the condominium are individually owned. The condominium building is managed by a separate legal entity that looks after maintenance etc. The liability under the Hotel Act and Immigration Act falls on the individual owners. There is the issue of insurance. If a person has a accident in the building, is individual owner liable or is the entity that manages the building liable. Does the insurance cover people staying on a short term basis. Hotels are designed to accommodate short term stays, and have both design features and procedures to deal with it. I am currently living in an apartment building but have been looking to move to a condominium. Some of the security measures I have seen in Bangkok include facial recognition and thumb print scanners to gain entry to condominium that are designed to prevent short term stays amongst other things.
Thank you!!!! We are headed to India this year and have really enjoyed your videos. We are considering Thailand and Cambodia for next year - I was literally looking at AirBNBs in Bangkok today!
Well done on just removing yourselves from the initial situation, Rhett and Claire. So sorry to hear this shocking experience, guys. I guess it's all part of the learning experience, but I am sorry you had to spend over 10 hours trying to look for another place. Hope you are both fine. The videos are GREAT, thank you. Please keep them coming and giving us all vital info. Besides the bad experience, please continue having a good time. New place looks amazing BTW :). Kudos to the host in coming to the front of the condo and receiving you both the second time round.
Thanks Ken, we had to remove ourselves, it was so unsettling just sitting there and thinking the police could come at any moment! Indeed, it is part of the learning, now we can share with others and obviously learn from it all. We are definitely all fine now man, as you will see from the coming videos:) The next video should be out very soon too:)
Hi! So is AirBnB illegal in Bangkok for condos and private houses AND hotels? Im booking thru Airbnb, and was unsure if booking airbnb for a hotel is still ok. We're not planning to stay in a condo or private house.
It is illegal for a condo type accommodation. Condo has shared amenities such as gyms, swimming pool, or even just an elevator and hallway. It is not illegal if you rent a house or a room in a house.
@@RhettandClaire, The court already ruled that Condo short term rental (less than 30 days) is illegal. The actual law is for the hotel industry. It stated that if the place rent out more than four rooms or rent to more than 20 people. The place need to have a hotel licensed. You should be safe with the house, there is no court ruling yet.
Many things are illegal in Thailand but simply not enforced....for God's sake, prostitution is illegal in Thailand. I'm sure the owners of the property you stayed at have a good relationship with the local police so that they look the other way.
P.M. Lynch the first Airbnb condo owner had us sneak in through the basement, so I don’t think she had a “good relationship” with the police. There have also been cases of people being fined or asked to leave their Airbnb. That is why we decided to make this video, to warn people of the possibility.
Yes AirBnB is illegal because the apartment or condominium havent been registered for daily or weekly accom. So far there are many foreigners especially from China bought many units or even rented them and converted to make AirBNB. They never pay tax and cause problems to hotel biz.and distrub local residents from making noisy and unrespecting/unfollowing the management rules. Its easy to create criminal too caz the owner doesnt report TM30 to the immigration dept. Most showed in Bella Grand and TC green where so many Chinese from mainland living. Anyhow , monthly is entitled same as hotel Actually you can find so many daily economic prices in BKK . Dont need AirBNB till the law changing.! Btw, some police officers are bad!
I want to thank you for your stance. I am a long term resident in a condo and I really dislike the temporary AirBnB renters that are in the pool and the gym because in general their behavior is that of holiday parties and not residents. Nothing wrong with it but for residents like me it destroys our peace and quiet and enjoyment. I understand that owners are trying to make a buck but the law is a good one and thank you for respecting it.
Hey Ton, thanks for popping in. We can imagine how it must feel to have the facilities used by these types of people. They generally wont be as respectful in a place that they are leaving soon. We would feel the same if we lived in a condo. Keep well🙂
greetings from bangkok. i live in bangkok and i'm disappointed with transportation here too. anyways hope you comeback here again to travel another province such as island in the southern. there are many fun actitvities to do :)
oh my, thanks alot for your sharing. i was just about to look for airbnb in bangkok for coming family trip with my 8months old. it will be truly a nightmare if i meet the situation like that .
This law is a good idea to protect Hotels and Hostels rights!! Thailand should make a full enforcement to make sure all hotels benefited from getting all the tourist market share. It is also to protect hotel industry and secure the workplace for its staff and workers.
M F we totally agree. It allows condominium owners to have their own privacy, as well as to keep foreigners in check and not allow them to get up to too much mischief. We also think it’s unfair that Hotels have to pay tax and have to apply for hotel licenses and Airbnb hosts do not!
Yes AirBnB is illegal because the apartment or condominium havent been registered for daily or weekly accom.services. So far there are many foreigners especially from China bought many units or even rented them and converted to make AirBNB. They never pay tax and cause problems to hotel biz.and distrub local residents from making noisy and unrespecting/unfollowing the management rules. Its easy to create some criminal too caz the owners dont report TM30 to the immigration dept. Most showed in Bella Grand and TC green where so many Chinese from mainland living. Anyhow , monthly is entitled same as hotel Actually you can find so many daily economic prices in BKK . Dont need AirBNB till the law changing.!
thank goodness! i just watch it in time..i have no idea that airbnb is illegal in thailand..cause i was thinking of booking one...but they are still available in the site.🤷♀️
I believe the fine is on the host not the renters. Have heard of zero guests being fined ever in Thailand. Like how it is illegal to rent someone a scooter without a proper license their. You may get a ticket for riding without proper license, but the fact you rented it without is on the scooter company. They would be responsible for that fine. Have heard of people being kicked out though which is plenty bad on a relaxing vacation. Happy they refunded easy. I have had trouble with that (in a different country) even with documented proof of issues that made the rental unusable. Received only 50% back. And the rental was left up for the next sucker.
I just booked a Airbnb in Chiang Mai. It’s not a condo but it is a house. Is this safe? Now I’m worried about this. It isn’t shared or anything and when speaking to the host they never mentioned anything about this.
At first I didn't feel sorry for you but as I continued through your commentary I appreciated your effort to use your experience to warn others. I don't know whether Airbnb is illegal or not over there but I've spent enough time in Asia in general and Thailand in particular to know that rules can be confusing, subject to interpretation, change often, and infractions can get you into serious trouble. Maybe there was a translation issue on the signs and the issue was being 'illegal' with the condo vs. the city or the country. I've seen some bizarre translations over the years there. I do know that hotels are under strict orders from the Immigration Police to report the acceptance of any foreigners and maybe the condo owners were skirting that law. I always stay in hotels in Bangkok and there is a massive range of quality and prices for every budget - from $12 a night to $500 and up. And I know most any hotel will negotiate longer term stays with you. With so many hotels, and reasonable prices, I've never felt the need to try Airbnb there. On Air Asia, I use them all the time for flights two hours and under. Yes, the legroom is tight but it's 24 bucks! That's why they call it a budget airline. I gladly pay more for long haul (16+ hours) on JAL and SQ but I can sit up straight for an hour on a short haul flight. As with most everything in Thailand, there are other options; you can easily get a full service flight on Thai, SQ, Malaysia, et. al. but you'll pay $200-$400 for that one hour flight. And if that legroom is so important you can get a business class ticket for $600. Up to you. Thank you for your video and your important warning and commentary. As a last thought to you and your viewers; always remember Thailand is a FOREIGN COUNTRY with a FOREIGN CULTURE. It is far different than western culture and while Thai people are exceptionally tolerant of westerners their customs can be very challenging to us. Take it all with a grain of salt - that's why you go there - to experience a different culture. It's not all rainbows and unicorn piss so be open minded and roll with it.
It is not a law, but in the US many landlords are within their right's to ban Airbnb or any form of sublet of their rentals. So unless the building is owned by the host always have a back-up plan when using the service.
I think I heard the whole Thailand for short term stay. If u want, take your own risk. You only can stay in hotels which in it statedin the Hotel act of thailand.
Apparently it’s the whole of Bangkok. It would make sense because we saw the exact same signs in two totally different condo buildings, in two different areas. We totally agree, AirBnb should take down all of their Bangkok listings to prevent this from happening to any more people.
@@ArchitektBerlin We are not too sure to be honest. We only have experience of this in Bangkok. I have heard of people using AirBnB in Chang May for instance and they have never complained of this.
This video is very misleading and requires a response. Thai Hotel Act and Condominium Act forbid daily and weekly rentals of property unless they are registered as a hotel; that is the law. A Court case has established legal president that anyone renting a condo for less than 30 days has committed a crime and can be punished under the law. Most condo owners committees had established rules to comply with the law and forbid daily or weekly rentals. Although Airbnb will tell you different, it is up to the customer to decide if they want to chance legal action.
Management of some buildings do not allow short term rentals. ( can be anywhere ) The Host was wrong here, knowing it was forbidden he/she offered his/ her place anyways.
I would suggest that anyone intended on using Airbnb to first visit the BBB, and read through some of the hundreds of comments left by users. It would also be in your best interest to read through all of the terms of service you will be agreeing to, as their policies leave the consumer with little to no legal recourse once agreed upon.
Rhett and Claire I was able to book the same exact cabin in Estes Park that I had tried to book through Airbnb. I’m sure that there are going to be some places that are strictly using airbnb, however that seems a bit foolish to only use one company for booking, especially with all the negative press they’ve been getting lately. I am still waiting for a refund from Airbnb. They keep sending me emails asking me to rate a place they canceled on me. I called them to try to expedite the process, but was told they are unable to process any refund, that another department handles that, and they are not allowed to connect me to that department, I have to wait until they decide to call me.
I tried to listen even 75% tempo but I still couldnt understand is airbnb in Bangkok legal or illegal. There is so little difference between pronoaunciation that I couldnt figure out what you tried to say. What I do that it is legal.. but also from you video I got a feeling that it is illegal.. then again I heard somepoints you said legal.. confusing =)
AirBNB is a selfish company they expand their business without any consideration, dont respect the law of the country they making business. Let me share you guys experience staying next to an actual airbnb room. It was a nightmare I supposed to have a simple neigbour who got responsibility or atleast some respect. Most of the airbnb guests are strange many of them cook smelly food or throw a party with loud speaker late at night I gotta wake up to knock their door to complain it not happen just once in a while but like every other days they cant even do the simple task like leave the garbage inside the bin instead the put in on top the bin's lid or just leave it rot outside their door. Who got the benifit on this ? absolutely not me I'm glad that my country got this law and I would be much more happier if they really enforce it cause I called the police many times and they seem to ignore me ! luckily I complain to my landlord that I'm going to end the lease agreement that how the problem being solved the landlord reported to the juristic office so I can finally rest. Im sure that if you were stay in a proper condominium long term you wouldnt wanna shared your floor with strangers from all around the world/change faces everyday. For me I feel unsafe . I dont mind if they gonna have a particular airbnb floor on the building but shouldnt be mix with the long term rent roon like mine.
We are so sorry that you have to experience this!😢. It is horrible and we totally agree with the laws. We just wish Airbnb would do something about it!
Im South African an I encountered the same signs in Chaing Mai , I had a Thai companion , so I felt a little less intimidated and just ignored the issue . It was a little complicated because the Chinese guy who owned the condo couldnt speak Thai or English .. Nothing untoward happened though , but I guess Ill make another plan in future.
Follow thai law , if foreigner visit to your home ,owner property must regist to immigration combine hotel also ,very easy by internet and condominium or apartment can not give rent to other with dayly or weekly beacause it residense zone and most renter disturb them , for customer or foreigner no problem
You didn't know AirBnB is illegal there? :P Live life on the edge ;) Whenever staying in an AirBnB , tell the officer you're staying with or at a "friends" place. Make sure the owner knows that and you have their contact.
Brother, I miss you beside on the Orbi my brother. Absolutely the best training days ever for me :) :). I am sure the people there will be surprised with you incredible HR :)
Phamondate R yeah and we respect that. We just wish that Airbnb or the hosts of the apartment would warn it’s customers before we book the place to avoid the whole building.
Dude seriously, this type of shit is what has detered me from using any type of sharing app... I mean they are always controversial. I don't even use Uber for the very reason. These guys are right when you go on a holiday you wanna unwind and not feel uncomfortable the whole time
We totally agree! It was horrible. We're having a similar experience now in Bali. Online taxi services like Grab and GoJek are frowned upon here in the community but there's no other way to get around! We feel uneasy about using them but we don't know what else to do🙈
@@RhettandClaire I had a similar experience in Istanbul when I ordered an Uber at the airport and when he arrived, the local taxi drivers started arguing with him and it's started to get aggressive , Uber guy just drove off with the ride on so I was the one who had to cancel it.
Very wise to move to a hotel, do not break the law in Thailand, you risk maybe going to jail, maybe losing a lot of your money , or maybe being booted out of the country, or maybe all of the above. Thailand has some very corrupt people, and you will be at their mercy if you break the law.
RB&B est illégal en Thailande.... bravo enfin un pays qui a compris qu'il ne faut pas supporter les multinationales sauvages qui ne veulent qu'accumuler des devises.
Yes AirBnB is illegal because the apartment or condominium havent been registered for daily or weekly accom. services .So far there are many foreigners especially from China bought many units or even rented them and converted to make AirBNB. They never pay tax and cause problems to hotel biz.and distrub local residents from making noisy and unrespecting/unfollowing the management rules. Its easy to create a criminal too caz the owner doesnt report TM30 to the immigration dept. Most showed in Bella Grand and TC green where so many Chinese from mainland living. Anyhow , monthly is entitled same as hotel Actually you can find so many daily economic prices in BKK . Dont need AirBNB till the law changing.!
truelife peace Good comment, apparently Airbnb is going public on the stock exchange, guess they are hoping there profile will be more respected, we will wait and see!
Firstly any paid accomodation must be registered with the Thai government as a business and fees have to be paid and licences issued, it's to protect the hotel industry. More importantly it breaches the immigration control rules as the establishment has to register you with the authorities within 24 hours of you checking in, it's called TM30 form. if they don't there is a big fine. if you stay at friends you must register yourself with a local immigration office. remember the entry form you filled out where the immigration officer kept the stub? it should have this information on it. essentially the government need to know where you are during your stay. it's been this way for a very long time, recently Chinese investors have been buying up condos all over Thailand and renting them out against all the rules. Airbnb should be aware of this a quick Google will give you everything you need.
Western people seem to beleive in rulz.. here there are none... wake up and get used to it if you want to live or even visit here, Thai people are great but dont come here with all these rulz.... anything is possible here...
Hey all, welcome back to another video. We had a pretty interesting and disappointing experience in Bangkok, Thailand. We love Bangkok as a whole, we just think people need to be made aware of this situation as we would not want this to happen to anyone else. Let us know your thoughts on the whole issue below, we are interested to hear what you have to say. Stay tuned for more videos from Bangkok, Thailand:)
@@mpj8781 i think if Thai host 90% will get money back?
I had a similar experience in bkk cuz of the Airbnb booking. It was terrifying. We enjoyed our stay in the condo the first night but we wondered why people at the pool look at us in such a hostile way. Then when we went up to our room, there was a big warning banner stand in front of the elevator saying that it’s illegal to stay in the building as it’s only for residents. And I remember there was a handcuff symbol on that banner as well and it was horrifying. It was a very bad experience that we never expected!
I had some thai authorities told me Airbnb is only illegal if staying under 1 month and there must be a contracting stating people who stay more than 30 days. If the airbnb host does not provide proper document, then it is illegal. This is what I was told by authorities before 2020. Basically, if you stay less than 30 days it is illegal, and more than 30 days must have paperwork from airbnb host.
Thank you for clarifying!🙏🏻
So if you you book exactly 30 days everything will be fine & legal ?
@@ayebo15 talk to your Airbnb host for documents. The Thai local are mad too about the new regulations. They will protect us. Talk to your air bnb host they will help. Nothing to be afraid of. The court issue a document for us to sign. If your Airbnb knows , they will have us sign and if any residents nearby want to cause issues (which is non existent from what the other foreigner UA-cam channel claims) , the airbnb host will provide the documents for any local authority to understand. 👍 Trust Thai people not the authority. 🙏🙏🙏
I own an apartment in Bangkok, one of the terms and conditions of the compound is that listing or subletting unit temporarily such as Airbnb is prohibited and against the law. But still I see different tourists coming in and out the building on daily basis which I don’t feel comfortable with. My building used to be so quiet and private, with this airbnb trend, the privacy has now gone. I can actually report this to the police or to building’s management but I just don’t wanna to too nasty about it.
Nannan Th we absolutely agreed with the law though. It is not fair for private home owners to have to deal with strangers in their building all the time. Not only is it an issue of privacy but of safety as well. That is why we are furious with Airbnb as a company for not taking the listings off of their platform, or even warning their customers in advance.
If you feel the need to report the subleasing then please do. However, please remember that it is the landlord that should be punished and not the tourist. We were naive tourists that didn’t know any better🙈
Report to the police. The juristic manager, guards and committee are doubtless getting paid off by dodgy owners. You have to take action.
You just have to do your research, book an house and not a condo, it's written everywhere, Airbnb is legal, it's a condo rule.
Is it Ok to book Airbnb in Bangkok if booking for 1 month? I like the area close to Asok station, and a hotel can be expensive for 31 days. I spent about $4000 USD the last trip for my hotel in that area.
Scuba Tom we are really not sure. According to our understanding, booking for more than 1 month isn’t considered short-term renting so you should be fine. It all depends on the building and how strictly they enforce the rules. Perhaps talk to the Airbnb host before you book?
Firstly, AirBnB does not provide accommodation. AirBnB is a 'tech' company. It is a facilitator that matches a provider of accommodation with the person who wants accommodation. It is business model is the same as Agoda or Booking.com etc (or Uber, which matches those who require transportation with providers of transportation).
Using AirBnB is not illegal in Thailand. What is illegal is for a owner of a unit of accommodation in a building to provide accommodation for less than a 30 days unless the building complies with the Hotel Act. Also the vast majority of condominium also have condominium rules that prohibit the short term rental of the condominiums. The condominium rules form part of the contract of purchase. Not complying with the rules is potentially breach of the contract by the owner. It is a civil matter rather criminal matter.
It is the provider of the accommodation that is potentially subject to both the criminal and civil action not the person who rented the accommodation.
There is also the issue of non compliance with the Immigration Act by both the person providing the accommodation and the person staying in the accommodation. If a non Thai stays overnight in accommodation the owner of the accommodation is required to report to the Thai Immigration Department that the non Thai is stay is staying in the accommodation.
Normally, if you stay in a hotel etc they do it and you don't even notice that it is being done. It becomes a 'big' issue for people who rent a single condo because it is a 'lot of paperwork'.
The above is applicable to the whole of Thailand, not just Bangkok. However, Thailand is not Switzerland, Germany or Japan. Enforcement of laws in Thailand is somewhat problematic to say the least. There are many, many instances where laws are not enforced. Many condominiums in tourist areas are in effect 'contels'. The problem is that individual owners have an incentive to break the rules to the cost of their neighbors.
The problem with short term accommodation is a worldwide issue. It is not a Thailand issue. The same problems occur in London, New York, Melbourne etc. The local authorities across the world are having the problems dealing with it.
The is also two different types of accommodation buildings in Thailand. There are buildings which have what are called 'apartments' and there are buildings which are called 'condominiums'. Apartment buildings are owned by one owner and the rents out all the rooms in the building. The owner generally lets out the rooms on daily, weekly, monthly, 6 monthly basis. The owner also does the Immigration reporting. Condominiums have a different ownership structure. The rooms in the condominium are individually owned. The condominium building is managed by a separate legal entity that looks after maintenance etc. The liability under the Hotel Act and Immigration Act falls on the individual owners.
There is the issue of insurance. If a person has a accident in the building, is individual owner liable or is the entity that manages the building liable. Does the insurance cover people staying on a short term basis. Hotels are designed to accommodate short term stays, and have both design features and procedures to deal with it.
I am currently living in an apartment building but have been looking to move to a condominium. Some of the security measures I have seen in Bangkok include facial recognition and thumb print scanners to gain entry to condominium that are designed to prevent short term stays amongst other things.
Somluck thank you for clearing it all up for us! We really appreciate it 🙏🏻😊
Good explanation.
Thank you!!!! We are headed to India this year and have really enjoyed your videos. We are considering Thailand and Cambodia for next year - I was literally looking at AirBNBs in Bangkok today!
Well done on just removing yourselves from the initial situation, Rhett and Claire. So sorry to hear this shocking experience, guys. I guess it's all part of the learning experience, but I am sorry you had to spend over 10 hours trying to look for another place. Hope you are both fine. The videos are GREAT, thank you. Please keep them coming and giving us all vital info. Besides the bad experience, please continue having a good time. New place looks amazing BTW :). Kudos to the host in coming to the front of the condo and receiving you both the second time round.
Thanks Ken, we had to remove ourselves, it was so unsettling just sitting there and thinking the police could come at any moment! Indeed, it is part of the learning, now we can share with others and obviously learn from it all. We are definitely all fine now man, as you will see from the coming videos:) The next video should be out very soon too:)
Hi! So is AirBnB illegal in Bangkok for condos and private houses AND hotels? Im booking thru Airbnb, and was unsure if booking airbnb for a hotel is still ok. We're not planning to stay in a condo or private house.
Kay Xiong staying in a hotel is perfectly legal 😊 you’ll be fine!
It is illegal for a condo type accommodation. Condo has shared amenities such as gyms, swimming pool, or even just an elevator and hallway. It is not illegal if you rent a house or a room in a house.
Thank you for clarifying! So you can’t rent a room in a condo?
@@RhettandClaire, The court already ruled that Condo short term rental (less than 30 days) is illegal. The actual law is for the hotel industry. It stated that if the place rent out more than four rooms or rent to more than 20 people. The place need to have a hotel licensed. You should be safe with the house, there is no court ruling yet.
Thank you so much. You have helped a lot🙏🏻
Many things are illegal in Thailand but simply not enforced....for God's sake, prostitution is illegal in Thailand. I'm sure the owners of the property you stayed at have a good relationship with the local police so that they look the other way.
P.M. Lynch the first Airbnb condo owner had us sneak in through the basement, so I don’t think she had a “good relationship” with the police. There have also been cases of people being fined or asked to leave their Airbnb. That is why we decided to make this video, to warn people of the possibility.
Yes AirBnB is illegal because the apartment or condominium havent been registered for daily or weekly accom. So far there are many foreigners especially from China bought many units or even rented them and converted to make AirBNB. They never pay tax and cause problems to hotel biz.and distrub local residents from making noisy and unrespecting/unfollowing the management rules. Its easy to create criminal too caz the owner doesnt report TM30 to the immigration dept. Most showed in Bella Grand and TC green where so many Chinese from mainland living. Anyhow , monthly is entitled same as hotel Actually you can find so many daily economic prices in BKK . Dont need AirBNB till the law changing.! Btw, some police officers are bad!
Great video guys thank you for the information
I want to thank you for your stance. I am a long term resident in a condo and I really dislike the temporary AirBnB renters that are in the pool and the gym because in general their behavior is that of holiday parties and not residents. Nothing wrong with it but for residents like me it destroys our peace and quiet and enjoyment. I understand that owners are trying to make a buck but the law is a good one and thank you for respecting it.
Hey Ton, thanks for popping in. We can imagine how it must feel to have the facilities used by these types of people. They generally wont be as respectful in a place that they are leaving soon. We would feel the same if we lived in a condo. Keep well🙂
greetings from bangkok. i live in bangkok and i'm disappointed with transportation here too. anyways hope you comeback here again to travel another province such as island in the southern. there are many fun actitvities to do :)
April thank you for the suggestion! We definitely will explore more of Thailand one day☺️
WOW...thank you so much for the information.
You’re welcome!🙏🏻
oh my, thanks alot for your sharing. i was just about to look for airbnb in bangkok for coming family trip with my 8months old. it will be truly a nightmare if i meet the situation like that .
eilyn lim it really was an uncomfortable situation. We suggest getting a hotel room instead just to avoid any disappointment 😊
This law is a good idea to protect Hotels and Hostels rights!! Thailand should make a full enforcement to make sure all hotels benefited from getting all the tourist market share. It is also to protect hotel industry and secure the workplace for its staff and workers.
M F we totally agree. It allows condominium owners to have their own privacy, as well as to keep foreigners in check and not allow them to get up to too much mischief. We also think it’s unfair that Hotels have to pay tax and have to apply for hotel licenses and Airbnb hosts do not!
Absolutely agree!!! Otherwise, Hotel and Hostel businesses will be destroyed.
Looking at the view from balcony. I knew already where the condo you guys stayed.
the base yo :D
apparently we stayed in a business district!😢. It wasn't the best area, very little to do. We didn't know it was going to be in a business area.
Yes AirBnB is illegal because the apartment or condominium havent been registered for daily or weekly accom.services. So far there are many foreigners especially from China bought many units or even rented them and converted to make AirBNB. They never pay tax and cause problems to hotel biz.and distrub local residents from making noisy and unrespecting/unfollowing the management rules. Its easy to create some criminal too caz the owners dont report TM30 to the immigration dept. Most showed in Bella Grand and TC green where so many Chinese from mainland living. Anyhow , monthly is entitled same as hotel Actually you can find so many daily economic prices in BKK . Dont need AirBNB till the law changing.!
thank goodness! i just watch it in time..i have no idea that airbnb is illegal in thailand..cause i was thinking of booking one...but they are still available in the site.🤷♀️
truelife peace thank you for this great comment! We totally agree with you. We wish Airbnb would take the listings down though!😞
Ten nam oh wow, we’re so glad you watched! Now you’re informed 🙏🏻. We very angry that Airbnb still have Bangkok listings on their app 😞
I believe the fine is on the host not the renters. Have heard of zero guests being fined ever in Thailand. Like how it is illegal to rent someone a scooter without a proper license their. You may get a ticket for riding without proper license, but the fact you rented it without is on the scooter company. They would be responsible for that fine. Have heard of people being kicked out though which is plenty bad on a relaxing vacation. Happy they refunded easy. I have had trouble with that (in a different country) even with documented proof of issues that made the rental unusable. Received only 50% back. And the rental was left up for the next sucker.
Thanks for sharing your experiences...
It's a pleasure😀 We don't want this happening to anyone else!
I just booked a Airbnb in Chiang Mai. It’s not a condo but it is a house. Is this safe? Now I’m worried about this. It isn’t shared or anything and when speaking to the host they never mentioned anything about this.
A house should be fine, I think Chiang Mai is okay too. How long are you renting for?
@@RhettandClaire for 9 days!
@@RhettandClaire it says villa on the Airbnb
@@RhettandClaire but it’s private!!! Only one villa for is
Is it illegal in Bangkok or complete Thailand?
Great videos on Thailand guys! Keep up the great work, much love from Australia.
Two Chaps thank you so much! We really appreciate it 😊
At first I didn't feel sorry for you but as I continued through your commentary I appreciated your effort to use your experience to warn others. I don't know whether Airbnb is illegal or not over there but I've spent enough time in Asia in general and Thailand in particular to know that rules can be confusing, subject to interpretation, change often, and infractions can get you into serious trouble. Maybe there was a translation issue on the signs and the issue was being 'illegal' with the condo vs. the city or the country. I've seen some bizarre translations over the years there. I do know that hotels are under strict orders from the Immigration Police to report the acceptance of any foreigners and maybe the condo owners were skirting that law. I always stay in hotels in Bangkok and there is a massive range of quality and prices for every budget - from $12 a night to $500 and up. And I know most any hotel will negotiate longer term stays with you. With so many hotels, and reasonable prices, I've never felt the need to try Airbnb there. On Air Asia, I use them all the time for flights two hours and under. Yes, the legroom is tight but it's 24 bucks! That's why they call it a budget airline. I gladly pay more for long haul (16+ hours) on JAL and SQ but I can sit up straight for an hour on a short haul flight. As with most everything in Thailand, there are other options; you can easily get a full service flight on Thai, SQ, Malaysia, et. al. but you'll pay $200-$400 for that one hour flight. And if that legroom is so important you can get a business class ticket for $600. Up to you. Thank you for your video and your important warning and commentary. As a last thought to you and your viewers; always remember Thailand is a FOREIGN COUNTRY with a FOREIGN CULTURE. It is far different than western culture and while Thai people are exceptionally tolerant of westerners their customs can be very challenging to us. Take it all with a grain of salt - that's why you go there - to experience a different culture. It's not all rainbows and unicorn piss so be open minded and roll with it.
helpful video! what does short term mean? one week? one month? thanks!
C L hey, thank you! Short term means less than one month 😊
It is not a law, but in the US many landlords are within their right's to ban Airbnb or any form of sublet of their rentals. So unless the building is owned by the host always have a back-up plan when using the service.
Glad to see you got sorted, I stayed at Hopeland last month, great hotel and location
Hey thanks John! It was quite an experience but we live and learn:)
It's illegal in whole Bangkok? Not just that particular apartment? Because that sign said so. Airbnb shouldn't allow their ads at all then.
I think I heard the whole Thailand for short term stay. If u want, take your own risk. You only can stay in hotels which in it statedin the Hotel act of thailand.
Apparently it’s the whole of Bangkok. It would make sense because we saw the exact same signs in two totally different condo buildings, in two different areas. We totally agree, AirBnb should take down all of their Bangkok listings to prevent this from happening to any more people.
@@RhettandClaire in the rest of Thailand it is forbitten to? Or only in bkk?
@@ArchitektBerlin We are not too sure to be honest. We only have experience of this in Bangkok. I have heard of people using AirBnB in Chang May for instance and they have never complained of this.
This video is very misleading and requires a response. Thai Hotel Act and Condominium Act forbid daily and weekly rentals of property unless they are registered as a hotel; that is the law. A Court case has established legal president that anyone renting a condo for less than 30 days has committed a crime and can be punished under the law. Most condo owners committees had established rules to comply with the law and forbid daily or weekly rentals. Although Airbnb will tell you different, it is up to the customer to decide if they want to chance legal action.
Airbnb bookings for 1 month or longer are legal and not against the Hotel Act.
Dope Video! Sending blessing your way, Keep inspiring!🎒🙌🏻
Thanks Mike&Ash😁
Management of some buildings do not allow short term rentals. ( can be anywhere )
The Host was wrong here, knowing it was forbidden he/she offered his/ her place anyways.
Don't think Bangkok will ever change unfortunately
if u had chance,...do visit chiang mai n chiang rai...many nice temple and other tourist spot place
Willson Creative Studio we actually might be going to Chiang Mai in February!😊 thank you!
@@RhettandClaire great...many wonderful place to see. Enjoy
Thank you Willson!😊
I would suggest that anyone intended on using Airbnb to first visit the BBB, and read through some of the hundreds of comments left by users. It would also be in your best interest to read through all of the terms of service you will be agreeing to, as their policies leave the consumer with little to no legal recourse once agreed upon.
We agree. Regardless though, Airbnb were very helpful in getting us out of that situation.
Peter Grahame we agree but then what other accommodation could we find if we don’t want to stay in a hotel?
Rhett and Claire I was able to book the same exact cabin in Estes Park that I had tried to book through Airbnb. I’m sure that there are going to be some places that are strictly using airbnb, however that seems a bit foolish to only use one company for booking, especially with all the negative press they’ve been getting lately. I am still waiting for a refund from Airbnb. They keep sending me emails asking me to rate a place they canceled on me. I called them to try to expedite the process, but was told they are unable to process any refund, that another department handles that, and they are not allowed to connect me to that department, I have to wait until they decide to call me.
Jason Berg oh no, what a mess. We hope you eventually get that refund. What other sites do you use to book places?
Thanks for d info...hope u guys enjoy yr trip
Willson Creative Studio thank you so much! Thank you for watching 😊
Ohhhh hectic Airbnb issues
It’s not actually scary in thailand tho America to Thailand is 13 hrs very long (fun fact:I live in thailand)
I tried to listen even 75% tempo but I still couldnt understand is airbnb in Bangkok legal or illegal. There is so little difference between pronoaunciation that I couldnt figure out what you tried to say. What I do that it is legal.. but also from you video I got a feeling that it is illegal.. then again I heard somepoints you said legal.. confusing =)
We were also confused, short term Airbnb is illegal in Bangkok.
oh no - i had no idea! we were just in an airbnb in Bangkok, yikes.
Neither did we, it's crazy that there is not much information about this topic on the internet!
AirBNB is a selfish company they expand their business without any consideration, dont respect the law of the country they making business. Let me share you guys experience staying next to an actual airbnb room. It was a nightmare I supposed to have a simple neigbour who got responsibility or atleast some respect. Most of the airbnb guests are strange many of them cook smelly food or throw a party with loud speaker late at night I gotta wake up to knock their door to complain it not happen just once in a while but like every other days they cant even do the simple task like leave the garbage inside the bin instead the put in on top the bin's lid or just leave it rot outside their door. Who got the benifit on this ? absolutely not me I'm glad that my country got this law and I would be much more happier if they really enforce it cause I called the police many times and they seem to ignore me ! luckily I complain to my landlord that I'm going to end the lease agreement that how the problem being solved the landlord reported to the juristic office so I can finally rest. Im sure that if you were stay in a proper condominium long term you wouldnt wanna shared your floor with strangers from all around the world/change faces everyday. For me I feel unsafe . I dont mind if they gonna have a particular airbnb floor on the building but shouldnt be mix with the long term rent roon like mine.
We are so sorry that you have to experience this!😢. It is horrible and we totally agree with the laws. We just wish Airbnb would do something about it!
I'm sorry for you guys to have bad experience in Thailand.
However, good to know you still love Bangkok
Oath Peterson thank you! Oh of course. We can’t wait to go back 😊
Flying with storm ⛈
I've stayed at Airbnb's in Bangkok numerous times and never ran into any issues.
skimterp have you stayed in condominium Airbnb’s though? If so, did you not see the signs in the lobby?
Same here. Stayed in a room the first time. After that I rented condos for 5 times through Airbnb. Never encountered a single problem.
Im South African an I encountered the same signs in Chaing Mai , I had a Thai companion , so I felt a little less intimidated and just ignored the issue . It was a little complicated because the Chinese guy who owned the condo couldnt speak Thai or English .. Nothing untoward happened though , but I guess Ill make another plan in future.
Hey John, it really is unsettling! We are glad nothing bad happened. Take care.😀🙂
Follow thai law , if foreigner visit to your home ,owner property must regist to immigration combine hotel also ,very easy by internet and condominium or apartment can not give rent to other with dayly or weekly beacause it residense zone and most renter disturb them , for customer or foreigner no problem
I found this out when i was there as well
BC Lee terrible! Do you mind if we ask when you were in Bangkok? Did it also make you feel very uncomfortable?
@@RhettandClaire this was April 2017. I knew i had to stay low key but still enjoy myself.
BC Lee wow, so Airbnb hasn’t been welcome in Bangkok for longer than we thought. We’re glad you still enjoyed yourself👌🏻
@@RhettandClaire Yeah i did enjoy myself though. Somehow some way i want to go back to Bangkok
BC Lee we feel you. Same 😊
You didn't know AirBnB is illegal there? :P Live life on the edge ;) Whenever staying in an AirBnB , tell the officer you're staying with or at a "friends" place. Make sure the owner knows that and you have their contact.
Thanks, will keep this in mind for our next trip to Thailand!😃
@@RhettandClaire I'm back in Thailand, even extended my trip! I've had no issues (: if you have any questions let me know.
Dean Nomad hey! Are you in Bangkok? Have you noticed any signs at your apartment?
Brother, I miss you beside on the Orbi my brother. Absolutely the best training days ever for me :) :). I am sure the people there will be surprised with you incredible HR :)
I agree man, the best ever, i've also never been so motivated as I was back then! Haha I actually took it easy man, was not completely hundreds >.
My condo has 80% of tourist for short term rental business. It is not fun. I called immigration police couple of times to after those tourists.
Phamondate R yeah and we respect that. We just wish that Airbnb or the hosts of the apartment would warn it’s customers before we book the place to avoid the whole building.
Good message, don't airbnb in a Bangkok condo.
yes, don't airbnb in a Bangkok condo for less than 30 days 😊. If you do, be prepared to feel very uncomfortable.
But 30 days or more is perfectly legal.
Dude seriously, this type of shit is what has detered me from using any type of sharing app... I mean they are always controversial. I don't even use Uber for the very reason. These guys are right when you go on a holiday you wanna unwind and not feel uncomfortable the whole time
We totally agree! It was horrible. We're having a similar experience now in Bali. Online taxi services like Grab and GoJek are frowned upon here in the community but there's no other way to get around! We feel uneasy about using them but we don't know what else to do🙈
@@RhettandClaire I had a similar experience in Istanbul when I ordered an Uber at the airport and when he arrived, the local taxi drivers started arguing with him and it's started to get aggressive , Uber guy just drove off with the ride on so I was the one who had to cancel it.
Shayan Ansari that’s so annoying. Did you end up using the local taxi service?
Very wise to move to a hotel, do not break the law in Thailand, you risk maybe going to jail, maybe losing a lot of your money , or maybe being booted out of the country, or maybe all of the above. Thailand has some very corrupt people, and you will be at their mercy if you break the law.
nice video #BackpackerTraveler
Great share 🤙🏽
Thank you! Glad we could help!🙏🏻
pity on your guys ... be patient okay ..
Alju Kimong thank you for your support ❤️
RB&B est illégal en Thailande.... bravo enfin un pays qui a compris qu'il ne faut pas supporter les multinationales sauvages qui ne veulent qu'accumuler des devises.
Fully agree, more countries are adopting this stance, such as Singapore.
just come back to Malaysia...
Řæívöñ we really should have! We miss Malaysia 👎🏻
Hotels are cheap in Bangkok why Airbnb!?
We like having the option of storing and cooking our own food, and leftover food sometimes
@@RhettandClaire but you can rent a decent a hotel with that option for cheap! Plus the prices for food and entertainment is pennies on the dollar!
Air B&B is not illegal in Thailand or BKK, the issue is that some Condo doesn't like people to rentals on short-term rental.
Sir 2k6 if it’s not illegal then why are all the condos allowed to put up signs stating that it is?
Just book a hotel there’s 1000s of them, yeah I’ve used Airbnb all over the World with no issues, you were just unlucky
Yes AirBnB is illegal because the apartment or condominium havent been registered for daily or weekly accom. services .So far there are many foreigners especially from China bought many units or even rented them and converted to make AirBNB. They never pay tax and cause problems to hotel biz.and distrub local residents from making noisy and unrespecting/unfollowing the management rules. Its easy to create a criminal too caz the owner doesnt report TM30 to the immigration dept. Most showed in Bella Grand and TC green where so many Chinese from mainland living. Anyhow , monthly is entitled same as hotel Actually you can find so many daily economic prices in BKK . Dont need AirBNB till the law changing.!
truelife peace Good comment, apparently Airbnb is going public on the stock exchange, guess they are hoping there profile will be more respected, we will wait and see!
You guys are way too serious
The law is serious and we will not break it.
def. serious, i would NOT try anything stupid there w/ that stupid military junta govt. they got there, ughh.....
So this would be for all of Thailand. AIRBNB is huge in Thailand so how can this posible???
dan scolaro apparently it’s just in Bangkok, from what we’ve heard...
Firstly any paid accomodation must be registered with the Thai government as a business and fees have to be paid and licences issued, it's to protect the hotel industry.
More importantly it breaches the immigration control rules as the establishment has to register you with the authorities within 24 hours of you checking in, it's called TM30 form.
if they don't there is a big fine.
if you stay at friends you must register yourself with a local immigration office.
remember the entry form you filled out where the immigration officer kept the stub? it should have this information on it.
essentially the government need to know where you are during your stay.
it's been this way for a very long time, recently Chinese investors have been buying up condos all over Thailand and renting them out against all the rules.
Airbnb should be aware of this a quick Google will give you everything you need.
Wonderful Penang? haahahahahahaahahahhaahahaha.......
What?
Western people seem to beleive in rulz.. here there are none... wake up and get used to it if you want to live or even visit here, Thai people are great but dont come here with all these rulz.... anything is possible here...
U shouldn't book Airbnb in Thailand