Getting a TM30 from an AirBnB Host?

[tokyojoe2010]

I'm looking into extending my six-week visa on arrival by 30 days through an agent. Because I am running into the beginning of high season, I will have to change accomodation the day before my visa expires. I'm thinking about going with an AirBnB, but I'm worried about whether I can get the TM30 for the extension from the host. Forum members have reported that AirBnB hosts sometimes do not file/provide a TM30. Should I check into a proper hotel for a couple days to make sure this doesn't get messed up and then switch to the AirBnB once I have the extension? Thanks in advance.

[Dutcher]

I suggest that you contact the airbnb host to ask if they are going to do the tm30 for you, prior to booking.

[Tingtong4Thai]

Unfortunately, it's a YMMV thing here.  Recently I wasn't able to get a TM30 from a large hotel chain in Bangkok, but later was able to easily get one from an airbnb I stayed at on the next street over.  Dutcher's idea sounds like a good strategy.

[Thomaz73]

46 minutes ago, tokyojoe2010 said:

Forum members have reported that AirBnB hosts sometimes do not file/provide a TM30. Should I check into a proper hotel for a couple days

Correct and quite likely a good idea. But as above, you could try and contact before commiting to the airbnb. 

[tokyojoe2010]

OK, so I contacted a few of the AirBnB hosts, and three said that they can provide the TM30. One didn't even know what it was. 🤪

[Thomaz73]

37 minutes ago, tokyojoe2010 said:

One didn't even know what it was

Probably because your typical airbnb stay isn't long enough for it to be a consideration. 

[tokyojoe2010]

@Thomaz73 Maybe. I explained to her what it was, and she said she couldn't do it anyway, because she is located in Bangkok. But aren't AirBnB hosts supposed to file a TM30? I was surprised that she didn't know what it was. 

[Thomaz73]

1 minute ago, tokyojoe2010 said:

explained to her what it was, and she said she couldn't do it anyway, because she is located in Bangkok. But aren't AirBnB hosts supposed to file a TM30?

They're absolutely supposed to do that. And the excuse is bullshit. Can be done online. 

[Dutcher]

1 hour ago, tokyojoe2010 said:

@Thomaz73 Maybe. I explained to her what it was, and she said she couldn't do it anyway, because she is located in Bangkok. But aren't AirBnB hosts supposed to file a TM30? I was surprised that she didn't know what it was. 

Yeah, the host is liable to pay a big fine if they don’t do a TM30. But it’s not always enforced.

[tokyojoe2010]

Here's a new wrinkle. The visa agent is saying that an AirBnB host is unlikely to be able to provide a TM30, because AirBnB is not legal in Thailand. They would need a business card/copy of the house book. 🤔

[geezerrb]

It is not just AirB&B, a recent booking with Booking.com for Base condo (Chinese private host) after booking it was made aware there was a 600 thb fee for the TM30 plus additional charges for water and electricity on top of the agreed rate, so I cancelled. I have noticed in my subsequent booking that towels and bed linen are subject to an additional fee?

[Dutcher]

16 minutes ago, tokyojoe2010 said:

Here's a new wrinkle. The visa agent is saying that an AirBnB host is unlikely to be able to provide a TM30, because AirBnB is not legal in Thailand. They would need a business card/copy of the house book. 🤔

I believe that some people say that airbnb is not legal in Thailand because officially you need to have a hotel license for renting out for a period less than 30 days. Don’t know if that means that they can’t do a tm30. You can ask if they already did so in the past for rentals of less than 30 days.

[Thomaz73]

I'd say just go stay a while in a proper hotel (those Chinese hosted condo short stays don't qualify. They're fairly easy to spot as they have some made up name you can't verify on google maps.) 

[tokyojoe2010]

@Thomaz73 I will keep looking at the AirBnB situation, but I grabbed a cheap hotel booking nearby with free cancellation on Agoda just in case.

[regyai]

I fail to see why the agent you've already commissioned to do the extension cant sort this out for you, ironing the wrinkles out of immigration BS is why god created them after all n'est-ce pas?

[PostMan]

On 25/10/2022 at 06:42, tokyojoe2010 said:

 I will have to change accomodation the day before my visa expires. I'm thinking about going with an AirBnB, but I'm worried about whether I can get the TM30 for the extension from the host. 

Well I can say that if you end up sitting opposite one of the diligent ladies on the JT immigration office you might have a rough day is the paperwork isn't kosher. I'd recommend using agoda/trivago to have something on your phone you can show her if your in a pickle. Agodas' cancellation policy is helpful too.

I had all the paperwork for a 30 day extension back in 2018 but the hotelier wasn't paying the tourist tax and I got caught in the crossfire, bad day but worked out OK in the end. 

[PostMan]

On 25/10/2022 at 11:11, geezerrb said:

It is not just AirB&B, a recent booking with Booking.com for Base condo (Chinese private host) after booking it was made aware there was a 600 thb fee for the TM30 plus additional charges for water and electricity on top of the agreed rate, so I cancelled. I have noticed in my subsequent booking that towels and bed linen are subject to an additional fee?

I haven't used AirBNB in Thailand but the electic+water as an extra is common practise if your booking a longer stay, usually costs me about b1000/mth although recent price rises will have increased that. It's worth asking how much a unit [KWh] of electic is .. 6 months ago b4/unit was good, b7 was so-so but I know of locals paying up to b10 depending on the landlord, if you love aircon it might cost over b3k/mth to chill a single room.

[simon6666]

15 minutes ago, PostMan said:

I haven't used AirBNB in Thailand but the electic+water as an extra is common practise if your booking a longer stay, usually costs me about b1000/mth although recent price rises will have increased that. It's worth asking how much a unit [KWh] of electic is .. 6 months ago b4/unit was good, b7 was so-so but I know of locals paying up to b10 depending on the landlord, if you love aircon it might cost over b3k/mth to chill a single room.

With the horror stories I'm hearing recently in mind, I feel this is one area also open to abuse.

Real Estate Agent had a photo of the meter and said it was current reading on my move-in date, but I had no idea when he took it. Could have been prior to the people before me, for all I knew.

Couldn't find the meter myself to check, either, even though I looked all over the building. I think it was behind locked doors.

On exit the pricing seemed right but, if you can check it when you move in, I would.

[Revanchist]

5 hours ago, simon6666 said:

Real Estate Agent had a photo of the meter and said it was current reading on my move-in date, but I had no idea when he took it.

Check the metadata of the picture for "Image Capture Date" or similar. The metadata should be preserved over email, iMessages, AirDrop, and some but not all chat apps. Yes, that can be faked by either editing the data (but most people don't have the knowledge) or changing the date on the phone (most people don't have the foresight.)

[PostMan]

7 hours ago, Revanchist said:

Check the metadata of the picture for "Image Capture Date" or similar. The metadata should be preserved over email, iMessages, AirDrop, and some but not all chat apps. Yes, that can be faked by either editing the data (but most people don't have the knowledge) or changing the date on the phone (most people don't have the foresight.)

I kinda knew that already but I'm disputing a charge by GoldCar for damage to an alloy wheel, we are flashing photos at each other so your post is timely. Email is the way to go for exchanging files between strangers.

[tokyojoe2010]

Thought I would provide an update to the original post. Turns out that the AirBnB superhost has his own company (rentals, vending machines, franchises, etc.) so he was able to access and register me in the TM30 system without any problems. The agent then took me and the forms over to Jomtien. The whole trip took less than an hour, but the Immigration staffer couldn't process it right away, and she had to drop off my passport later in the afternoon. So I am good and legal until mid-December. 😎