What should I do if my friend visiting Thailand can't receive a TM30 because I don't own the house?

To be completely honest, IF they are not going to need to go to the immigration office for ANYTHING (an extension, a residence certificate, a re-entry permit, etc) there is no way that the immigration office would have a clue IF they did or didn't file a TM.30.

I would suggest that they do NOTHING while they're with you, and as soon as they check in at the guest house they have them file the TM.30 online. That's the best that can be done..

But I agree with Robert, this isn't all that thai visa related :/

As this topic is not closely related to Thai Visa and ending up in finding excuses to disregard the rules of register an address of a foreigner within 24 hours after arrival, I close the commenting. We are here as guests, play by their rules and we all enjoy our time in Thailand. Sorry guys, the rule is the rule, if you disagree with that rule, go to Immigration Office and explain why they have to change the rules.

So think what you want, it is not needed for tourist or what ever excuse you have, read my other comment with the section 38 of the Immigration act. And yes it is not enforced in full at every Immigration Office,so check with your office in your area to avoid problems with them.

According to section 38 of the 1979 immigration act, "House owners, heads of household, landlords or managers of hotels who accommodate foreign nationals on a temporary basis who stay in the kingdom legally, must notify the local immigration authorities within 24 hours from the time of arrival of the foreign national." If there is no immigration office in the province or locality of the respective house or hotel, the notification is made to the local police station.

I don't think it matters in your particular case. The only place where a TM30 possibly comes up is when the foreigner needs to deal with immigration, like for an extension. Some offices then care about there being a TM30 registered, and won't do the extension unless it is. Others don't care at all.

In this case, if he is moving to a guesthouse after a week, they will do the TM30 for him then and he will have one later, if he wants to get an extension. The TM30 just needs to be registered in the province at the time he is actually going to immigration for an extension.

Further, in any case, I am not sure Chiang Mai immigration (where I believe you are) care about the TM30 for tourist extensions. They definitely do for non-tourist extensions, but I am not sure they do for the tourist ones.

Note: this is a practical view on the situation. Yes technically you are meant to register him. But in this case I don't see any consequences to not doing so.

Do you need to do anything? He's a Tourist.

There must be an owner some where, who can provide you with the papers needed.