By Phuket News Property Editorial Team · February 16, 2026
Short-term rental activity in condominium buildings has been a growing point of tension in Thailand’s property sector for several years. While daily and weekly rentals in residential condominiums are generally prohibited under existing regulations, enforcement has historically been inconsistent, allowing informal short-stay activity to persist in many locations.
Industry groups are now pushing for stronger action. Hotel sector representatives have called for tighter regulation of online booking platforms, clearer registration requirements, and more effective penalties for operators who continue to rent condominium units on a short-term basis without proper licensing. This has raised a timely question for Phuket’s residential market. Could 2026 finally be the year when meaningful enforcement begins to take hold?
Why short-term condo rentals have become a focus
Thailand’s Hotel Act requires accommodation providers offering short stays to hold an appropriate license. Condominium buildings, however, are primarily registered for residential use, and most building bylaws prohibit rentals of fewer than 30 days.
Despite this, short-term rental listings have appeared across online booking platforms in recent years, particularly in tourism-driven destinations. This has created friction between licensed hotel operators, condominium management bodies, long-term residents, and unit owners seeking rental income.
Calls for reform are driven by concerns over safety, security, unfair competition with licensed hotels, and disruption to residential communities.
The push to link online platforms with licensing databases
One proposal now under discussion is the linking of registered accommodation license databases with online travel agencies and booking platforms. Under such a system, listings would be required to display a valid license reference before being made available for booking.
If implemented, this would make it significantly harder for unlicensed short-term condo rentals to operate openly online. It would also shift part of the compliance burden onto platforms themselves, rather than relying solely on reactive enforcement.
While policy discussions are ongoing, the direction of travel is toward greater transparency and easier identification of unlicensed operators.
The role of condominium juristic persons
Condominium juristic persons remain the frontline enforcers inside residential buildings. Their responsibilities include upholding building bylaws, monitoring suspicious rental activity, and issuing warnings or legal notices to owners who breach community rules.
In practice, enforcement capacity varies by building. Some juristic persons actively monitor guest turnover and respond quickly to complaints. Others lack the resources or confidence to pursue repeated violations.
Any broader national enforcement effort is likely to increase pressure on juristic persons to take a more active role in monitoring and reporting short-term rental activity.
Why enforcement has been inconsistent until now
Historically, enforcement has relied on complaints, manual inspections, and limited coordination between agencies. Penalties have also been viewed as too low to deter persistent operators in high-demand tourism markets.
The current push for reform reflects a recognition that laws alone are not enough without practical enforcement mechanisms and digital cooperation with booking platforms.
Whether new measures are fully implemented in 2026 remains to be seen, but industry signals suggest stronger enforcement frameworks are now firmly on the policy agenda.
What this could mean for Phuket’s residential market
If enforcement becomes more consistent, condominium communities could experience reduced short-term guest turnover, improved security, and a clearer separation between residential and hotel accommodation.
For property buyers, this may help reinforce the residential nature of condominium living and reduce uncertainty about how buildings are used. Licensed hotel and serviced apartment operators may also benefit from fairer competitive conditions.
At a broader market level, clearer enforcement could strengthen confidence by demonstrating that community rules and licensing frameworks are being applied more consistently.
A shift toward clearer operating boundaries
Phuket’s property market has matured significantly over the past decade. As the island attracts more long-stay residents, retirees, and relocating families, expectations around community stability and building governance have grown.
Stronger enforcement of short-term rental rules would align with this shift, helping residential developments function as intended while leaving licensed accommodation providers to serve the tourism market.
Could enforcement in 2026 strengthen market confidence
If current proposals translate into practical enforcement tools, 2026 could mark an important step toward clearer operating boundaries in Phuket’s accommodation landscape. Reduced ambiguity benefits residents, compliant operators, and serious long-term buyers alike.
In that environment, stronger enforcement is less about restriction and more about reinforcing trust in how residential communities are managed, ultimately supporting confidence in Phuket’s evolving property market.
