Thailand's capital city has long been established as a home for a huge number of expats and long-term visitors meaning there are lots of relevant tips for remote workers in Bangkok! If you want to fit right in, it's important to know these and so ensure your arrival and stay are as smooth as possible. The city has a considerable tourism infrastructure which makes visiting and living in Bangkok an easy and comfortable experience in general. Of course, this huge metropolis does have its peculiarities and remote workers choosing Bangkok as their next destination will certainly want to follow the below tips.
English in Bangkok is common and widely-spoken by most of the community, meaning you will certainly be able to get by if you don’t speak Thai. You should be aware, however, that the quality of English is generally poor and you may spend a lot of time trying to understand others and be understood yourself. As such, one of many good tips for remote workers in Bangkok is to get acquainted with some of the basics of Thai. It is important to note that Thai is not an easy language and that it takes time to learn and patience to practice, yet there are lots of benefits to learning! With some Thai under your belt it will be much easier to make local friends and navigate the city more adeptly. Our favorite Thai schools in Bangkok include Baan Aksorn and the Everyday Thai Language School.
One of the most valuable things about life in Bangkok will be the huge number of expats and other Remote Workers in the city looking to connect and attend events together. Joining one of Bangkok’s many online communities is certainly one of our most important tips for remote workers in Bangkok -- it will give you the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and make you feel part of the city in a really rewarding way. It is super common to post in the Facebook groups, for example, and find someone new to visit a new restaurant in town or see a show somewhere. Networking and accommodation opportunities are also plentiful in these groups!
There is no city better for street food than Bangkok. Your experience of the city will certainly be incomplete if you fail to try the countless street food options across Bangkok. While it may be a little daunting to face all the available options, you should generally assume that places with a lot of locals enjoying the offerings are good and safe to try! Charoen Krung, Victoria Monument and Chinatown are some of our favorite areas for street food here and we strongly recommend you try the many varieties of noodles, the grilled bananas, stink beans and the roasted duck!
Bangkok is a huge city and, as such, an important tip for remote workers in Bangkok is to be well-informed about the public transportation system across the city. Currently, Bangkok is served by two main high-speed rail system (asides from the Airport Link) - the BTS Skytrain and the MRT. The BTS Skytrain serves the greater Sukhumvit and Silom areas, and the MRT circles the Skytrain service area (Blue Line) and also links the northwestern neighborhoods of Bangkok with the rest of the city (Purple Line). The city also has an extensive bus network and taxis are readily available. It is always advisable for you to have a map of the city handy on your phone!
Once in Bangkok, an important tip for remote workers is to carry out some in-person research around the city in order to find the best possible accommodation options for you. It is advisable to actually visit the Sukhumvit area and experience the difference noise levels noticeable around the different Sois. Certainly, you will also want to make sure transport links are close by and see if the walk towards them is actually feasible for you in Bangkok’s heat. With your landlord or agency it is important to establish in a contract all fees and utility charges before signing any contracts.
For more information about living in Bangkok as a remote worker, check out our complete Bangkok guide.