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The bills that would replace Thailand's Hotel Act passed their first reading in the House of Representatives on 8 July 2026 and are now with a special committee. They are not law and have no start date. Until a new act is passed and published in the Royal Gazette, letting a home for less than 30 days without a hotel licence is generally illegal under the Hotel Act B.E. 2547 (2004), and letting a condo daily is illegal without exception.
In short
- Two bills went through first reading: one from the Cabinet and one from a Bhumjaithai MP.
- Thai law firms report that a 25-member special committee is reviewing them and first met on 15 July 2026.
- The text can still change, and no date for entry into force has been announced.
- Daily lets without a hotel licence are illegal today, on Airbnb, Booking.com, Agoda or anywhere else.
Where the bills stand
| Stage | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Public consultation on the drafts | 31 March to 30 April 2026 | Done |
| Consultation report | 19 June 2026 | Done |
| First reading: both bills accepted in principle and sent to a special committee | 8 July 2026 | Done |
| First committee meeting | 15 July 2026 (reported) | Done |
| Committee review of the text | Still under way in August 2026 | In progress |
| Committee report and second reading | No date announced | Not yet |
| Third reading, then the Senate | No date announced | Not yet |
| Publication in the Royal Gazette and entry into force | No date announced | Not yet |
The reported working titles of the drafts are the Draft Hotel and Non-Hotel Accommodation Act and the Accommodation Establishments Act. No text has been published in the Royal Gazette.
What the bills would change
The committee can rewrite any part of the text under discussion. The drafts include a new category for properties of up to 29 rooms and 58 guests with an operator on site, a licence from the local authority, guest registration and safety rules, duties for booking platforms and, possibly, a requirement for the condominium's consent before an owner lets a unit short term.
What the reform would not change matters just as much. A new act would not override condominium rules, building codes, immigration reporting, tax or the restrictions on foreign-owned businesses. Even after a new law, a condo owner may still need the building's consent, and the house rules may still ban daily lets.
Who it affects
- Condo owners face the narrowest path: even under the reform, a short-term let may need the condominium's consent.
- Villa and small guesthouse owners could fall under the proposed category for properties of up to 29 rooms and 58 guests with an operator on site; its conditions are not final.
- Buyers who plan for rental income. If an agent tells you daily rentals will be legal soon, we suggest working out the returns on monthly leases and treating daily lets as a bonus that may never come. Other checks before a purchase matter too: see the typical situation of a condo quota that ran out a week before closing.
What the law says today
Under the Hotel Act B.E. 2547 (2004), providing accommodation for payment for stays of less than one month (30 days) is a hotel business and needs a hotel licence. A condo unit let for less than 30 days without a licence is an illegal hotel. A residential lease of a month or longer falls outside the Act.
| Law | What can follow a breach |
|---|---|
| Hotel Act B.E. 2547 | Thai law firms describe the penalty as up to one year in prison and/or a fine of up to THB 20,000, plus up to THB 10,000 for each day the breach continues |
| Condominium Act | Fines for running a business from a unit; Thai practitioners cite up to THB 50,000 plus THB 5,000 a day |
| The building's house rules | Fines set by the condominium's juristic person |
Thai press reported that on 29 July 2026 officials inspected a condominium in Wichit subdistrict over suspected daily rentals. Thai lawyers disagree on whether a small-accommodation exemption exists under current law, so we check it for each property rather than rely on it. How to let legally today is explained on our page about renting out your Phuket property legally.
When it could take effect
After the committee, the bills need second and third readings, Senate approval and publication in the Royal Gazette. The text can change at each stage, and no date for entry into force has been named. Daily rentals without a hotel licence are illegal today; the reform bills passed first reading in principle on 8 July 2026 and have no effect yet.
What to do now
- Do not take new daily bookings in the hope that the reform will cover them.
- Move the unit to leases of a month or longer.
- Read your condominium's house rules: they can restrict letting whatever the new act says.
- File a TM30 report with Immigration within 24 hours for every foreign guest or tenant, whatever the length of stay.
- If you are buying, leave daily rentals out of your yield sums and check the house rules before you pay a deposit. Our condo buyer checklist lists the other checks.
What we do not know yet
- The final text, and which of the two bills will serve as its base.
- Whether the condominium's consent will become mandatory.
- Whether owners who already let their units will get a transition period.
- The dates of the second reading and of entry into force.
- Whether a small-accommodation exemption exists today.
We follow each reading of the bills and will update this page when the committee reports.
What next
If you are buying a condo for rental income, send us the purchase or reservation contract: we give it a free preliminary assessment within 48 hours and point out the risks. For a full rental legal audit and long-term lease, the fee is [price]; we agree it before any work starts and reply within 24 hours.
Phuket areas
The same laws apply across the island, but each area has its own particulars: what kind of property usually sells there, which documents prove rights to the land and what deserves a closer look before you buy.
Kata
In sea-view condominiums the 49% foreign quota usually runs out quickly, so we check it before you reserve a unit.
Patong
People buy condos here to rent out and open businesses that need licences.
Kamala
There are many branded residences here, homes sold under a hotel brand, and the management agreement needs careful reading before you buy.
Old Town
Many historic shophouses, buildings with a shop on the ground floor, are protected and can only be restored under special rules.
