Chiang Mai and Bangkok are Thailand's two main bases for remote workers, and both have coworking spaces that sell day passes and monthly memberships, plus plenty of cafés where laptops are welcome. Chiang Mai is smaller, calmer and cheaper; Bangkok has more choice, faster connections to the rest of Asia and a far bigger city around you.
Where you work depends mostly on where you live. Traffic in Bangkok and the heat in both cities mean that few people cross town every day to reach a favorite desk. The better question is which neighborhood to base yourself in, and then which space or café near it suits your working day.
This page is about areas and how coworking works, not a ranking of brands. Spaces open, move and close often, so we describe what to look for and where to look, and leave the current list to maps and recent reviews.
Remote work in Thailand: the basics
- Main hubs
- Chiang Mai (Nimman, Old City, Santitham) and Bangkok (Sukhumvit, Silom and Sathorn, Ari)
- Ways to pay
- Day pass, multi-day packs, monthly membership, fixed desk
- Backup internet
- A Thai SIM with unlimited data and phone hotspot
- Tourist SIM limit
- Identity must be reconfirmed to keep using a tourist SIM beyond 60 days (NBTC rule quoted by AIS)
- Air quality
- Seasonal smoke haze in Chiang Mai and Bangkok (UK FCDO)
- Long-stay visa for remote workers
- Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
Day passes, monthly memberships and what they include
Almost every space sells three products: a day pass, a pack of days or a monthly "hot desk" membership (any free seat), and a fixed desk or small private office. A day pass is the right way to test a space before committing. Monthly memberships usually work out much cheaper per day if you use them three or more times a week.
We do not print prices here, because they change and differ between neighborhoods; our older article on working as a digital nomad in Thailand quotes typical ranges, and every space posts its own rates. When you compare, look at what is included rather than the headline figure:
- Opening hours. If your clients are in Europe or the Americas, your working day may run into the evening or night. Check whether the space is open late or 24 hours, and whether that costs extra.
- Call rooms or phone booths. Essential if you take video calls. Ask whether they must be booked and if there is a time limit.
- Air-conditioning and air filtering. In the hot months and the smoky season, a well-sealed room with an air purifier matters more than a view.
- Backup power and a second internet line. Ask what happens in a power cut or when the main connection fails.
- Drinks and food nearby. Many include water or coffee; a street with cheap food stalls next door is worth as much.
- Lockers and access. A locker means you do not carry a laptop through rain every day.
Chiang Mai: which area to base yourself in
Chiang Mai built its reputation with remote workers because it is compact, relaxed and affordable. Our Chiang Mai city guide introduces the city; these are the areas most remote workers choose.
Nimman (Nimmanhaemin Road and the lanes off it). West of the Old City, near Chiang Mai University. This is the area most associated with cafés and coworking, with many places within walking distance, shopping malls and a younger crowd. It is also the busiest and most expensive part of town for rent, and the traffic on the main road can be heavy in the evening.
The Old City. The square inside the moat, about 1.6 km on each side. Quieter lanes, temples, guesthouses and a good number of cafés, but fewer dedicated coworking spaces than Nimman. Good if you like walking to everything and do not mind the tourist crowds near the main gates.
Santitham and the area north of the Old City. More local, with lower rents and food prices, and still close enough to Nimman and the Old City by bicycle, motorbike or Grab. Suits people staying several months who want a neighborhood rather than a scene.
The riverside and east of the Old City. Toward the Ping River and the night bazaar area. More hotels and restaurants than workspaces, but pleasant for living if you work mainly from home.
Our guide to where to stay in Chiang Mai compares these areas for accommodation.
Plan around Chiang Mai's smoky season. The UK Foreign Office warns that Chiang Mai and Bangkok are affected by seasonal smoke haze from crop and forest burning, sometimes at dangerous levels. Remote workers who stay through it should choose a space and an apartment with good air filtering, or leave town for those weeks. Our article on Chiang Mai's smoky season explains when it happens.
Bangkok: work near the train line
In Bangkok, the most useful rule is to live and work near the same BTS Skytrain or MRT line. Our guide to using the BTS and MRT explains the network.
Sukhumvit (BTS Asok, Phrom Phong, Thong Lo, Ekkamai). The center of expat life, with the widest choice of coworking spaces, cafés, gyms and international food. Asok is also where the BTS meets the MRT at Sukhumvit station. It is the easy default for a first stay, but rents rise quickly near the stations.
Silom and Sathorn (BTS Sala Daeng, Chong Nonsi; MRT Si Lom). The business district. Coworking here is often inside office towers, which suits people who want a more formal setting and meeting rooms. Quieter at weekends.
Ari (BTS Ari, north of Victory Monument). A residential neighborhood popular with young Thais, with independent cafés and a slower pace than Sukhumvit. Good value for longer stays.
Further out along the Sukhumvit line. Areas such as On Nut have lower rents and still connect by BTS, at the cost of a longer ride into the center.
Our guide to where to stay in Bangkok compares the main areas in more detail.
Working from cafés: what is fair
Café work is normal in both cities, and many cafés are designed for it, with sockets and long tables. It is still a business. Order something every couple of hours, avoid taking a large table during the lunch rush, take calls outside, and do not bring food from elsewhere. If a café has posted a time limit or asks laptop users to sit in one area, follow it.
Cafés are good for a few hours of focused work. For a full day of calls, or when you need a reliable connection for a deadline, a coworking space or your own apartment is safer.
Keeping your internet reliable
Fixed broadband in Thai cities is generally good, but no single connection is immune to a power cut or an outage. Remote workers who depend on calls should always have a backup.
The simplest backup is a Thai SIM with unlimited data used as a phone hotspot. AIS's tourist SIM, for example, was sold in October 2026 in versions from 5 to 60 days, the 60-day version for 1,599 baht. AIS notes an NBTC rule that tourists who want to keep using a tourist SIM beyond 60 days after activation must reconfirm their identity. If you are staying longer, ask the operator about a regular prepaid or postpaid plan. Our article on buying a SIM card or eSIM compares the options, and the guide to internet and VPNs in Thailand covers home broadband.
When choosing an apartment, ask about the building's internet and test it during a viewing. In the rainy season, storms cause short power cuts in some areas, so a laptop with a good battery and a charged phone matter.
The visa and tax side of working remotely
A coworking membership does not affect your visa, but your length of stay does. For more than a short trip, most remote workers use the Destination Thailand Visa, which allows 180 days per entry. Well-paid employees of large foreign companies may qualify for the Long-Term Resident visa's "Work-from-Thailand" category. Spending 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year also makes you a Thai tax resident; our page on tax residency and foreign income explains what that means for money you bring in.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chiang Mai or Bangkok better for remote work?
Chiang Mai is cheaper, smaller and easier to settle into, but has a smoky season that can make some months unpleasant. Bangkok has more spaces, better flight connections across Asia and a bigger city, at higher cost. Many remote workers try both before choosing.
Do I need a coworking space, or can I work from cafés?
Cafés work well for a few hours, and many welcome laptops. For long days, regular video calls or deadlines, a coworking space gives you a quiet room, backup power and a more reliable connection. A day pass is a cheap way to find out what you need.
Is the internet in Thailand good enough for video calls?
In the main cities it generally is, through both fixed broadband and mobile data. No single connection is immune to outages, so keep a Thai SIM with unlimited data as a hotspot backup and check the connection before you sign an apartment lease.
Which visa do remote workers use in Thailand?
Most use the Destination Thailand Visa, a five-year multiple-entry visa giving 180 days per entry, with 500,000 baht in savings as the financial requirement. High earners working for large foreign companies may qualify for the LTR visa's Work-from-Thailand category.
Sources
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office – Thailand travel advice: health (air quality) (checked October 2026)
- AIS – Tourist SIM and eSIM plans (checked October 2026)
- Thailand e-Visa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) – Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) (checked October 2026)
- Royal Thai Embassy, London – Destination Thailand Visa (checked October 2026)
- Board of Investment – LTR visa, Work-from-Thailand Professionals (checked October 2026)