Bangkok - Digital Nomad Heaven Or Hell? (2.3)

Bangkok has become a hub for digital nomads, bringing in a wave of talent and fresh ideas into the city. Those nomads in turn attract other nomads. But is that a good thing? Or even a real thing? Let’s find out.

(Direct download .mp3)

Thailand -- Bangkok & Chiang Mai specifically -- is a hotbed of digital nomadship. But before we get to that, we should probably define the term:   Defining - people who can work anywhere thanks to the internet. They take many format but they share two things in common: They aren’t doing the type of job that requires them to be at a specific location at specific time. And that freedom allows them to travel, either a little or a lot, without interrupting their income stream. Jodi Ettenberg of LegalNomads is a good example. And Evo tried his hand at it all of 2015. So what makes Bangkok so attractive to digital nomads? Some of is has to do with cost of living, though Bangkok isn’t nearly as cheap as it used to be. Having many Western conveniences coupled with the “charm” of Asian living doesn’t hurt. Reliable access to cheap mobile data (especially compared to the US, Canada, and Australia) is big pull. But watch out, would-be internet entrepreneurs. Just because Thailand makes it easy for you to visit -- no visa required for a lot of Western countries -- it doesn’t mean you have the legal right to earn income while you are here. In fact, it’s just the opposite of that. So before you decide to set up shop in a co-working space (that wave has hit The Big Mango as well), you’ll want to have a solid understanding of the work permit as not to run up afoul of immigration rules. The work you want to do maybe reserved for Thai-nationals only. And those are just some of the  legal, semi-legit, social, and economic considerations/temptations/realities foreigners face when doing business in Thailand. Should you move to Bangkok and become a digital nomad? Well… maybe. And if you listen to the episode, you’ll find out what we think about it. After all, we want to be good role models.Tell us what you think in the comments!

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