the other replies nailed it, it's the tm30 thing. just to add, the "justice office" is probably just a bad google translate of the juristic person office, which manages the condo building. they need your photo for their visitor log, it's not going to some court or police database.

one thing nobody mentioned is that some buildings in sukhumvit ask for this even for thai guests, it's just their security protocol. if you're staying in an old shophouse near bang rak or a guesthouse on khao san, they probably won't ask at all. but for a modern condo in thong lo or ekkamai, this is 100% expected.

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totally normal, happens at every hotel and guesthouse too, they just handle it behind the counter instead of asking you directly. the justice office thing is just a translation issue for the immigration office or the condo juristic person office, not some shady legal thing.

if you want to avoid the hassle next time, look for places that say "walk-in friendly" or have a hotel license, but for a month-long airbnb this is standard. i'd just send the photo with a small watermark over your passport number if it bothers you.

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yeah that's totally normal here. it's called a TM30 form, landlords legally have to report foreign guests to immigration within 24 hours of check-in. they need a photo for that report. annoying but standard practice, especially for month-long stays.

most condo buildings in bangkok also require a copy of your passport and photo for their security system, so it's not just the owner being weird. i've had to do this for every place i've rented longer than a week.

if you're still sketched out, you can blur your passport number in the photo. but honestly, this is just thai bureaucracy doing its thing. happens at hotels too, just less obvious.

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yeah Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but if you're up for a detour, try Som Tum Nua near Siam Square. their som tam pu pla ra is insane if you like the fermented fish sauce kick. way more pungent than the On Nut spot, just less grilled chicken options

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