Condo residents want action as foreigners flaunt rules on daily rentals
PHOTO: Manager Online
The ongoing issue of condos and rooms being rented out as daily and weekly rentals, illegally, is making headlines again.
A group of tenants went to the media complaining that they discovered owners of apartment rooms in their ‘luxury condo’ on Rama IV were contravening condominium rules and sub-letting their rooms.
A sting was set up and foreigners were seen using methods to get round fingerprint scanners to enter the luxury building. Notices were clearly on display reminding owners that offering rooms on platforms like AirBnB on a daily basis was illegal.
The notice threatens residents or owners contravening the rules would have their water cut and be fined 5,000 baht. A tenants’ group has taken the matter a step further demanding that the Bang Rak police take action against the condo committee who refuses to accept there is a problem.
Their complaints have fallen on deaf ears. They claim that opening the condo up to daily rent is unsafe whether it is Thai or foreign tourists staying at in their building. And it’s illegal.
SOURCE: Manager
Thailand Property FAQ
Can foreigners buy property in Thailand?
Yes. Foreigners can own condominium units freehold, as long as foreign buyers hold no more than 49% of the building's saleable area. Land cannot be owned directly by foreigners; houses are usually held through a 30-year lease — and since a March 2025 Supreme Court ruling, automatic “30+30+30” renewal structures are not enforceable beyond the first 30 years. Read the full foreign-ownership guide.
What is Thailand's 49% foreign quota?
In any condominium project, no more than 49% of the total saleable floor area can be foreign-owned. The quota applies only to condos — not houses, land or leaseholds — and popular buildings in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya can hit the cap. How the quota works in practice.
How much are property transfer fees in 2026?
The transfer registration fee is cut to 0.01% (from the standard 2%) and the mortgage registration fee to 0.01% (from 1%) for purchases where both the price and assessed value are 7 million baht or less — extended by the Cabinet on June 30, 2026. On a 6-million-baht home that saves around 120,000 baht. Who qualifies for the cut · Standard fees & who pays what.
Is it better to rent or buy in Thailand as an expat?
It mostly depends on your time horizon: for stays under roughly five years renting usually wins once transfer costs and resale friction are counted, while longer stays can favour buying — especially with 2026's reduced fees. The rent-vs-buy maths for expats.
How much does property cost in Thailand?
A little over 2 million baht buys a freehold one-bedroom condo in central Chiang Mai — the same budget covers only a studio in Bangkok's CBD. Prices vary sharply by region and city. Average prices by region, and what they buy you.
What taxes do property owners pay in Thailand?
Owners pay the annual land and building tax, and rental income is taxable; buyers and sellers split one-off costs like transfer fees, stamp duty or specific business tax depending on the deal. The go-to guide to Thai property taxes.
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