Bangkok residents raise alarm over illegal condo rentals, prostitution
Furious residents in Bangkok’s Nana district say their once-tranquil homes have been turned into a noisy nightmare, thanks to illegal condo rentals and prostitution. They claim foreigners are not only flouting the rules but also running a seedy prostitution racket, sparking serious safety concerns.
People’s Party MP Bhuntin Noumjerm brought the issue to public attention, highlighting the ongoing distress faced by residents in the Nana area and calling for appropriate legal measures to address the problem.
“I have been receiving complaints throughout the year regarding foreign residents in condominiums in the Nana neighbourhood. These foreigners were reportedly using drugs, causing excessive noise, releasing cannabis smoke inside the buildings, and engaging in prostitution within the accommodation.”
Foreigners are reportedly renting condo rooms from owners daily. Some were Arab nationals who travelled to Bangkok for medical services at Bumrungrad International Hospital, while others were foreign tourists or foreign sex workers.
Residents are worried about their safety due to the large number of strangers entering their residential areas.
Some condominiums installed facial recognition scanners to prevent unauthorised residents from entering, while others chose to move out for their security.
Bhuntin stated that offering condo rooms for daily rent is illegal. These rooms were being advertised for daily rental on a booking application, the name of which he did not specify. The property owners are foreigners, and their target tenants were also foreign nationals.
Bhuntin noted that most condominium juristic officers were well aware that offering condo rooms for daily rental was illegal but failed to take action.
Some juristic officers claimed they required approval from the juristic committee before acting against illegal room owners and tenants, allowing complaints to be ignored over time.
The MP urged the Cabinet to consider revising the laws to grant condo unit owners more rights in regulating activities that affect their living conditions and safety. This would enable them to take action against illegal property owners and tenants.
Furthermore, Bhuntin called on the relevant authorities to conduct raids on condominiums and monitor train stations in the area to apprehend those involved in illegal rentals.
The MP also questioned whether the booking application facilitating these rentals was operating legally and paying taxes in Thailand.
Latest Thailand News
