Bangkok “Hacks” for Best Remote Work Experience

Shoes, feet, and when to bow – and other tips for making Bangkok the best remote work experience – as told by a Thai local.

[About Pariyakorn Chamni “Kru Smuk”. She is the founder and head teacher of BananaThai Language School]

Bangkok is the world’s most visited city, followed by Paris, London, and Dubai*.
How is the city working remotely?
Some lists rank it as the most popular, others rank it as one of the world’s worse for working remotely.

Whichever side one falls – whether they love working from Bangkok or not – cultural awareness and tips from a local can make the experience best.

For this, we get familiar with the city through Kru Smuk, an education entrepreneur, Thai language school owner, and longtime Bangkok resident. And a graduate of Thammasat University.

Preserve Harmony: Thai’s avoid conflict

Thai nature is to avoid conflict at all costs to preserve face.

When someone loses their cool in a public setting, not only is that person losing face, but they are also creating general disharmony for those around them.

Thai culture is historically conservative and modest, making it difficult for members of Thai society to express negative emotions since it can be seen as a sign of weakness and disrespecting authority, which makes it difficult to repair one’s reputation.

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Keys to Thai Cultural Awareness

Never touch people on the head: The head is seen as the highest part of the body in a spiritual sense.
Don’t point your feet at people: The feet are seen as dirty and the lowest part of your body in Thailand.
Take off your shoes before entering private residences and temples.
Don’t step over people when they are seated.
Be aware that hugging and personal space are more conservative in Thailand than in other cultures.
Hierarchy, respecting elders, and the role of Buddhist monks are important aspects of Thai society.
Many Thais must be encouraged to speak out in a business setting, as the education system and office cultures are centered around respecting authority and following rules.

How do Thais express anger?

Thais generally don’t often express their anger openly; however, the country has had a long history of political unrest that has sometimes led to violent clashes between protestors and the police. Knowing whether a foreigner has upset a Thai person can often be challenging, as many will continue to exhibit the famous “Thai Smile” while presenting a calm exterior.

Avoid conflict
Don’t talk about the monarchy in public
Be respectful of Thai religious customs
Being a bit late is mostly acceptable

Thai Resourcefulness

Thai people have an entrepreneurial spirit across all social classes, from small business owners and food vendors to lottery ticket sellers. Many Thais work in the informal sectors since there are few social safety nets for a comfortable retirement. The government generally allows these informal sectors to operate with occasional exceptions and crackdowns.

Bangkok’s most popular neighborhood for remote workers: Thong Lo

Thong Lo is an upscale neighborhood along Sukhumvit Road that includes many trendy cafes, restaurants, and bars.

Thong Lo has an international flavor, with many Japanese, European, and other ex-pats living in the area. The neighborhood is also popular as a nightlife destination for local Thai young people. It has some of the most expensive real estate in Bangkok but contains something for everybody.

Don’t miss these spots in Thong Lo:

The Commons for many restaurants, bars, cafes, and places to work
Octave for the Bangkok rooftop experience
Rabbit Hole for fancy and creative cocktails
Studio Lam to check out the Thai alternative music scene
Saengchai Pochana for a classic Thai-Chinese restaurant experience
The Hive to work remote with other digital nomads

Bangkok by Night

Sukhumvit Road, primarily between Siam and Phra Khanong BTS stops. This area is large and has options for any nightlife character.
Khao San Road. For the last several decades, the legendary backpacker meeting point still provides an exciting and often chaotic night out for those on a budget.
Royal City Avenue (RCA). A clubbing epicenter for young people seven nights a week.
Silom. The main area for gay nightlife in Bangkok, including drag and ladyboy performances.

Transportation – getting from point A to B in Bangkok

Tips for renting a scooter

For those willing to brave the dangerous streets of Bangkok, riding a motorbike is a way to navigate the city’s famous traffic effectively.

Several shops offer daily to long-term rentals, from small scooters to touring motorcycles, and prices as low as 2,500 baht per month for a 125cc bike.

Rental shop options include Fat Boy Motorbikes, Emma Motorbike, and Scooter Rentals, and BSR Bike shop, among many others.

Expats living in Bangkok long-term should also consider buying their a scooter or motorcycle. They can be purchased second-hand at rental shops, new or second-hand on websites like kaidee.com, official shops like Honda, Yamaha, etc., or various neighborhood shops. Prices range from 7,500 baht to quite expensive, depending on personal taste. If buying second-hand, the buyer should be knowledgeable about checking for faulty parts.

Note: Unsafe roads

Whether riding a motorbike or driving a car, one should beware, Thailand consistently ranks in the top 10 worldwide for road fatalities yearly. It has the highest rate of motorcycle-related deaths globally at 60 deaths per day on average. Excessive speeding and intoxicated driving are unfortunately quite common, and driving at night should generally be avoided for these reasons, along with many streets not being adequately lit.

Most visited cities in the world list (before the pandemic in 2019)

Bangkok, Thailand: 22.78 million
Paris, France: 19.10 million
London, United Kingdom: 19.09 million
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: 15.93 million
Singapore: 14.67 million
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 13.79 million
New York, United States: 13.60 million
Istanbul, Turkey: 13.40 million
Tokyo, Japan: 12.93 million
Antalya, Turkey: 12:41

ABOUT HIVE CO-WORK THONGLOR

Conveniently located at Piman 49 just off Sukhumvit Road, our flagship in Bangkok occupies 7 floors with fantastic hot desking, dedicated desks, conference room, meeting rooms, plus a beautiful rooftop café lounge and terrace.
➠ Website: thehive.co.th

ABOUT KRU SMUK

Kru Smuk ครูสมุ้ก – founder and headteacher of BananaThai.
Great interest in digital business and innovation as well as community building. For the past 3 years, working on online Thai language school: BananaThai; bridging the local community and the international community in Thailand through online platforms – providing content related to Thai language and cultures.
➠ Website: www.bananathaischool.com
➠ Instagram: bananathaischool
➠ YouTube: BananaThai
➠ Facebook: BananaThai
➠ Podcast: BananaThai
➠ 5-Day Thai Challenge: 5-Day Thai Challenge

ABOUT The Borderless Office – Philip Beere

I was born in Kobe, Japan. And, I attended grade school in Barcelona, Spain. These experiences planted the seed for exploration and curiosity. Now, I direct a U.S.-based marketing agency, with clients on every continent and staff from multiple countries. We advocate for remote work, autonomy, a flexible work environment, and hiring the best people based on talent – regardless of location.
➠ Follow The Borderless Office: www.theborderlessoffice.com
➠ LinkedIn: The Borderless Office
➠ Connect with Philip: www.philipjames.co
➠ Instagram: philipjames360
➠ LinkedIn: Philip Beere

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*Bangkok Is The Most Visited City In The World…Again

Following Bangkok, Paris (19.10 million) came as a close second, with London (19.01 million), Dubai (15.93 million) and Singapore (14.67 million) rounding out the top five most visited cities in the world in 2018. Mastercard’s annual list looks at visitor volume and spend at the 200 largest cities in the world, counting both vacation and business travelers in the previous year.

Welcoming around 22.7 million international visitors, Bangkok ranked as the top destination for global travelers
Dubai was named as the top city for international visitor spending globally at $30.82 billion.

Welcoming around 22.7 million international visitors, Bangkok ranked as the top destination for global travelers this year, according to Mastercard‘s 2019 Global Destination Cities Index.

The commendation is a repeat for the Thai capital, as it was named the world’s most visited city for the past four years