Officials raid Phuket condominiums accused of illegal daily rentals

Phuket officials inspected two condominium developments in Wichit and Kamala on 29 July after finding units being rented out daily without hotel licences, according to an official report.

The inspections were ordered by Phuket Governor Chotinrin Kerdsum as part of the province’s campaign against accommodation providers operating without the required licences. The operations were led by Vice Governor Pol Lt Col Khetarat Chansilp, Mueang District Chief Siwat Rawangkul, acting as Provincial Permanent Palad, and Kathu District Chief Wittaya Jitsupap, with support from local administrative officials and Volunteer Defence Corps personnel.

In Wichit, officials inspected a condominium development where units owned by individuals and companies were being rented on a daily basis. Officials said the activity amounted to operating a hotel business under the Hotel Act 2004 and was illegal without a hotel licence, regardless of the ownership structure.

A separate inspection in Kamala followed complaints from local residents. Officials found the property divided into two sections: a hillside section offering monthly rentals and a condominium building containing 17 units rented daily.

During the inspection, officers found booking confirmations, expense records, invoices and daily guest check-in records. Officials said the documents indicated that the building was operating as a hotel. The operator admitted renting out condominium units daily without the required licence and said they would contact government agencies to bring the business into compliance, according to the report.

Officials recorded statements from those involved and seized documentary evidence for submission to investigators. The operator and the business’s legal entity face prosecution under Section 15 of the Hotel Act for operating a hotel without a licence.

The two condominium developments were not named in the official report. Officials said the inspections formed part of a government policy to improve tourist safety and ensure accommodation providers meet legal and tourism standards.