Tourist Police raid the C Ekkamai condo to arrest people running rooms as ‘hotel’ – Bangkok
PHOTO: Thai Tourist Police Bureau page on Facebook
Follow up to a story last week where residents of a condo tower in Bangkok were complaining that many of the rooms were being run as a quasi-hotel.
The Thai Tourist Police Bureau sent 40 officialst to the luxury Bangkok condominium. The raid was actually last Thursday, three days after the story came to light in Thai social media.
You can read the background and original story about C Ekkamai HERE.
The problems at the luxury ‘C Ekkamai’ came to light after other residents complained that people were renting rooms on a daily basis, not reporting the checking in of foreigners (as required) and running a virtual hotel in a condominium. There was a ‘check-in’ procedure and a faux-reception set up to receive guests. There was also a maid service provided for the rooms.
Tourist Police report that one person was arrested for running a hotel without a licence and the owners of five rooms were charged with not reporting foreigners staying in their property.
The same five people were charged with illegally offering their rooms for daily rental. One person, a foreigner, was charged with not staying at their previously reported address.
The condo’s residents said they were furious that facilities they paid for are being used for outsiders such as tourists to enjoy. Only monthly and longer rentals are legal which led to Thursday’s raid according to the Tourist Police.
Tourist Police say that they are now tracking down the web host who advertised the condos online.
SOURCE: Thai Tourist Police
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.
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