Recently, residents of Pattaya City, Thailand, have repeatedly complained to relevant departments, claiming that foreign investors have purchased multiple apartment units in Pattaya and rented them out daily in a hotel-like manner, disrupting residents' lives and affecting public safety. In response, the Thai government quickly took action.
Under the command of the Director of the Administrative Affairs Office, Chaiwat, the Deputy Director, Ronglan, led a special team to combat illegal daily rental apartments, in collaboration with the Administrative Investigation and Legal Affairs Bureau, Pattaya Charoenphan District Administrative Unit, Chonburi Immigration Office, and Pattaya Police Station, among others. They investigated three suspected apartments and eventually sealed them.
Target 1: Illegal daily rental apartments in downtown Pattaya
The first investigation target was located in downtown Pattaya, where the apartment became a key object of scrutiny due to owner complaints. According to reports, several units in the apartment were rented out to tourists for short periods, causing residents to worry about safety hazards and misuse of public facilities.
Investigators, posing as tourists, booked a room in the apartment through Airbnb for the date of March 26, 2025, at a price of $121.49. After booking, the investigation team contacted the administrator, who provided detailed check-in instructions and informed them that the room keys and access card could be collected from the mailbox in the lobby of Building B.
The investigation team successfully entered the apartment and, after further communication, the administrator arranged for a Burmese woman, pseudonym "A", to deliver the keys. Subsequently, the investigators discovered that the phone number used by the administrator was linked to an account of a Thai woman, pseudonym "O", while the actual identity of the apartment owner remained unverified, and the apartment management company also refused to provide relevant information.
Eventually, the investigators gathered sufficient evidence and sued the Thai woman "O" and the apartment owner, accusing them of violating Articles 4, 15, and 59 of the Hotel Act, for operating without a license. The case has now been transferred to the Chonburi Administrative Affairs Department for further investigation.
Target 2: Illegal short-term rental apartments on Pattaya Second Road
The investigation team then raided another apartment building on Pattaya Second Road, finding that several units were owned by foreigners and managed by an agency, rented out to tourists on a short-term basis.
Investigators, also disguised as tourists, booked a room on the Agoda platform for the date of March 26, 2025, at a price of 1,658.07 Thai Baht.
After the booking was successful, the investigators contacted a person named YI BEI. Although this person did not disclose their nationality and communicated entirely in English, the investigators eventually obtained the room keys and door code, and upon entering the room, they found it fully equipped with hotel facilities, including towels, drinking water, appliances, and a private bathroom, clearly used for commercial short-term rentals.
Upon further investigation, the property was registered in the name of a Thai national. After gathering evidence, the investigation team formally sued the relevant departments, accusing YI BEI and the apartment owner of violating Articles 4, 15, and 59 of the Hotel Act. The case has now been transferred to the Chonburi Administrative Affairs Department for further processing.
Target 3: Illegal apartments at No. 2 Chiang Mai Road, secretly rented out on social platforms
The third illegal apartment was located at No. 2 Chiang Mai Road in Chonburi Province, where residents frequently complained about the frequent comings and goings of foreign tourists, affecting residential safety and the use of public spaces in the apartment.
The investigators discovered that the apartment was promoted for short-term rentals on Facebook, with ads appearing in a group called "Pattaya Chiang Mai Beach Accommodations" and providing an ID Line contact. The investigation team immediately booked a room in the apartment through Facebook's "Stay Here" account, costing 1,500 Thai Baht per night, with the same check-in date of March 26, 2025.
Upon arrival at the apartment, the investigators followed the instructions and used a password provided by a Thai woman, pseudonym "C", to open a storage locker downstairs to retrieve the keys, entering room C117 on the first floor of Building C. The inspection revealed that the room's interior facilities fully met hotel standards, including hotel-style towels and daily necessities.
Further investigation revealed that the room was owned by a Thai national, with the reservation fee of 500 Thai Baht paid through a bank account, and the recipient's account matched the ID Line number of the woman C (pseudonym). Ultimately, the investigators collected complete evidence and reported to the Pattaya Charoenphan District Prosecutor, accusing the property owner and Ms. C of illegally operating a hotel business, violating Articles 4, 15, and 59 of the Hotel Act. The case is currently under further investigation.
Official response: Continuing to increase enforcement efforts, imposing heavy penalties on illegal apartment owners
The Deputy Director of the Administrative Affairs Office, Ronglan, announced that, to date, the Charoenphan District of Chonburi Province has sued the owners of three illegal apartments. Two of them rented rooms online (such as Airbnb, Agoda) and used storage lockers, mailboxes, and other means to evade inspection, seriously violating Articles 4, 15, and 59 of the Hotel Act.
According to Thai law, the responsible parties will face:
Up to one year of imprisonment
A fine of up to 20,000 Thai Baht
An additional fine of up to 10,000 Thai Baht per day for ongoing violations
The Administrative Affairs Office stated that it will continue to crack down on illegal daily rental apartments and take the following measures:
Strengthening inter-departmental collaboration, joining forces with the Land Management Bureau, Immigration Office, and local police stations to improve enforcement efficiency.
Enhancing supervision of apartment owners and management companies to prevent properties from being used for illegal short-term rentals.
Requiring all hotels and apartments hosting foreign tourists to report to the Immigration Office within 24 hours of check-in, or face legal sanctions.
Expanding public awareness campaigns, reminding the public that daily short-term rentals are illegal, and encouraging them to report violations to the Administrative Affairs Office for swift action by the government.
Conclusion: Thailand intensifies crackdown on daily rental apartments, future enforcement may become stricter
This action indicates that the Thai government has begun to strictly crack down on illegal daily rental apartments, especially those involving foreign-operated short-term rentals. In the future, landlords violating regulations may face higher risks, and foreign investors in Thailand's rental market may also be subject to further regulation.
If you operate short-term rental properties in Thailand, be sure to comply with the provisions of the Hotel Act to avoid legal penalties for non-compliance.
