BANGKOK, Feb 27 (TNA) – The Thai authorities have escalated its investigation into foreign nationals purchasing condominiums in Thailand and offering them for daily rentals, sparking widespread complaints from permanent residents.
Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, confirmed that the Department of Provincial Administration is actively investigating investor groups involved in daily condo rentals. He reiterated that current laws limit foreign ownership of condominium units to 49% of the total saleable area of a building.
The intensified investigation follows widespread reports on social media, particularly from the “Drama-addict” page, alleging that foreign nationals, notably Chinese investors, are employing various tactics to conceal condominium keys. These include hiding them in roadside cabinets or even in trees, facilitating daily rentals without the involvement of condominium juristic persons.
Additional reports detail diverse key concealment methods, such as in old lockers located at a distance from buildings, or within shoe storage cabinets. These actions violate the 2004 Hotel Act, which mandates hotel licensing for daily rentals, and contravene most condominium juristic person regulations that prohibit daily rentals to protect resident privacy and security.
During on-site inspections, news teams visited a luxury condominium in the Sathorn district, following resident complaints. They discovered numerous key storage cabinets in a car repair shop near the condominium’s entrance. The shop owner declined to provide information. However, obtained information indicates that rental space was secured for key storage, with an average of 10 foreign tourists retrieving keys daily.
Anutin stated that the Department of Provincial Administration will strictly enforce the law against offenders, regardless of nationality. Regarding the review of laws to potentially increase foreign condominium ownership to 75%, he clarified that it remains under study and consideration. -819 (TNA)
