If there’s one place in Asia you can find many remote workers and digital nomads heading to, it’s Thailand… And for great reasons! It’s an incredible place filled with friendly locals, delicious food, and fantastic weather. Don’t get us started with the wonderful sceneries this country has to offer.
Amid the growing (and necessary) trend of remote work setup, remote workers have taken this opportunity to explore the world. Because Thailand, like many other Southeast Asian countries, offers a lower cost of living, tropical weather, and new adventures, more and more digital nomads are heading their way there to delve into the culture while excelling in their careers.
For those planning to head to Thailand, you will need to consider where to stay. Thailand has an array of different vacation rentals perfect for remote work. Read on as we show you what you need to know about traveling to Thailand as a remote worker and the best vacation rentals you can stay in, regardless of your budget.
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10 Recommended Vacation Rentals for Remote Work in Thailand in 2024
There are many different areas in Thailand you can visit and stay at for work. These are the more popular cities known for their balance of rural and city life:
- Bangkok is Thailand’s capital city with somewhat higher rent, but you get Thailand’s modern city life and taste.
- Phuket is a stunning area in Thailand, with amazing beaches, though at a higher cost of living.
- Chiang Mai is the digital nomad hub of Thailand because of the lower rent and more workspaces.
- Koh Samul is one of the largest islands in Thailand, with a unique set of cultures and beliefs. It has an irresistible charm and lively nightlife!
- Koh Phangan is a spectacular island perfect for beach lovers. It’s famous for its full moon parties, but recently it’s emerging as a center for wellness retreats like yoga and meditation.
Now that you know the major cities you can head to, here are some of the best vacation rentals you can book for short or long-term stays.
Vacation Rentals in Bangkok
Siamese Exclusive 42, Bangkok
If you’re looking for the taste of luxury in the middle of the city, then we recommend staying in the Siamese Exclusive 42. It’s a serviced apartment near popular city attractions and public transportation options.
What’s great about this serviced apartment is how close it is to numerous coworking spaces, convenient stores, shopping malls, bars, clubs, and restaurants! The accommodation also ensures that you receive exemplary customer service, catering to many needs.
For digital nomads, you’ll enjoy the free Internet access that Siamese Exclusive 42 offers, as well as the room service, daily housekeeping, and laundromat services. You can also get your needs catered to, such as blackout curtains, linen service, and air conditioning. It’s similar to a hotel, especially with its fitness center, pool, garden, hot tub, and sauna. We recommend lounging by the pool, with a grand view of Bangkok!
Check out Siamese Exclusive 42, Bangkok, Thailand
Somerset Ekamai, Bangkok
Like Siamese Exclusive 42, the Somerset Ekamai is a serviced apartment in Bangkok, offering studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom residences for every budget and traveler. Each room comes equipped with an air conditioner, smart TV, a working space, along fully-equipped kitchens and private bathrooms.
This serviced apartment is a 10-minute walk away from the Ekkamai BTS station and other restaurants and malls for your convenience. You’ll be a few stations away from different shopping malls, markets, and delicious restaurants or bars from the BTS station.
Furthermore, the serviced apartment provides shuttle van services heading to various areas, such as the hospital, market, supermarkets, BTS stations, and Arena 10. Digital nomads will also appreciate the other amenities, such as comprehensive support facilities, a gym, and a swimming pool.
Check out Somerset Ekamai Bangkok, Thailand
Vacation Rentals in Chiang Mai
Baan Boo Loo Village, Chiang Mai
If you’re the more outdoorsy type who wants to find their Zen, then retreat to Baan Boo Loo Village, where you get peace and culture. This unique vacation rental in Chiang Mai offers traditional Thai-style rooms with different sizes and designs suitable for travelers with friends and families. You can even find a suite ideal for couples!
You can choose for your accommodation to have a balcony, patio, terrace, all of which have lovely views of Chiang Mai. Furthermore, they have air conditioning and other valuable facilities like executive lounge access, shared kitchen facilities, private bathrooms, and the like. You get both the best modern and traditional, including fast Internet access!
Even if you’re surrounded by traditional Thai architecture, you’re also near the city! Convenience stores and famous landmarks are mere minutes away. The facility also offers spa and yoga sessions to soothe your soul.
Check out Baan Boo Loo Village, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Mammoth Art Studio, Chiang Mai
The Mammoth Art Studio Villa in Old City, Chiang Mai, is only a few minutes away from temples and tourist attractions like Tha Phae Gate and Wat Phra Singh. It’s also a 10-minute walk away from downtown and 5-minutes from Cooking Love, a famous restaurant.
The Mammoth Art Studio Villa is perfect for families and large groups of digital nomads. The property features five bedrooms, all of which have access to wireless Internet for free. It also has four separate bathrooms, a balcony, a fully-equipped kitchen, a washing machine, and an outdoor pool. If needed, you can rent a car to explore Chiang Mai, along with free parking.
People will love the minimalist design the Mammoth Art Studio offers, along with the touch of Thai culture and style in every one of their rooms.
Check out Mammoth Art Studio, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Vacation Rentals in Koh Samui
Koh Samui Bayside Luxury Villas
If you’re out to splurge, then go for the luxury villas from Koh Samui Bayside! Digital nomads will love living here because you won’t even feel like you’re working.
Situated in Samrong Beach in Bophut, you’re right by the beach, making it one of the perfect retreats. You can also avail of other services, such as in-villa massages, food deliveries, tour bookings, and a private chef! You get the best in life and feel like you’re living a life of luxury.
The villas have various bedrooms and one nanny’s room, multiple bathrooms, a full kitchen, an open living room, even an indoor and outdoor dining area. The rooms have ceiling fans and air-conditioning, along with other useful facilities like laundry equipment.
The best part? You have your own infinity pool overlooking the beautiful Koh Samui!
Check out Samui Bayside villas, Koh Samui, Thailand
Five Islands, Koh Samui
While Bayside Villas offered more luxury in modern villas, Five Islands in Samui provides the ultimate tropical vacation experience in Thai-inspired rooms for more culture and experience. You get traditional Thai-style beach houses alongside Thai hospitality and comfort.
Digital nomads will be surrounded by coconut trees, luscious gardens, and a spectacular panoramic view of the Taling Ngam Beach. When renting the beach house, expect four bedrooms, two of which are in separate buildings for more privacy. You also get to experience a lot more amenities, such as a sheltered terrace, fully-equipped kitchen, and spacious dining space. And yes, there is free wireless and broadband Internet available.
You also have access to your private swimming pool and the beach. The beach is untouched by developers, so you get all-natural white sand surrounded by peace and relaxation, away from the noisy city.
Check out Five islands Beach House, Koh Samui, Thailand
Vacation Rentals in Koh Phangan
Bliss Villas, Koh Phangan
Bliss Villas is one of our recommended vacation rentals in Koh Phangan, which offers three boutique beachfront villas, all of which are designed elegantly and in a modern manner for comfort and luxury. You are on a 12,000 square-meter secluded land by the beach, which is something tropical lovers dream of.
You have everything you need here for your stay, from white sandy beaches, tropical green forests, breathtaking sunrises, and spacious home with a fast Internet connection. Each villa is the epitome of tranquility and comfort, with the interiors designed to offer the ambiance of elegant and informal lifestyles made for travelers that want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Even when you feel secluded in your accommodation, you’re less than a kilometer away from a convenience store. Within a five-minute walk, you have easy access to cafes, restaurants, shops, markets, and even fitness centers and yoga retreat centers for your convenience!
Check out Bliss Villas, Koh Phangan, Thailand
Remote & Digital, Koh Phangan
Many people opt for coliving for the low cost, and because of the convenience and many great people they get to meet. Coliving accommodations offer everything a digital nomad needs, from a comfortable space to rest in, work space, good food, fun amenities, and a community of like-minded remote workers.
Remote & Digital offers two coliving facilities in Koh Phangan, La Casa Tropicana and Sunset Hill. They offer the best of both worlds: Work remotely in a comfortable space and experience the ultimate beach life!
Digital nomads love it here because of their delicious food, healthy drinks, and the overall relaxing atmosphere that’s great for working or having fun. The coworking space is designed to help people focus on their work, so they can take a dip before sunset. Furthermore, Remote & Digital organizes regular events and workshops to learn from and meet new people.
Check out Remote & Digital, Koh Phangan, Thailand
Vacation Rentals in Phuket
Royal Thai Village, Phuket
As the name suggests, feel like royalty here in Royal Thai Village, where you get the mix of traditional Thai-inspired rooms in the lap of modern luxury. You get to rent your own private beach villa with a private beachfront, so you won’t have to deal with noise and crowds.
It’s a perfect work retreat where you can enjoy fast WiFi for your projects while enjoying the relaxing ambiance by the beach or pool. You can unwind in the sea-view pool, work in the ocean-view sala, walk around the botanical garden, or enjoy your glamorous villa suitable for solo digital nomads, couples, friends, or families.
Located in Soi Mittapap, Viset Road, you aren’t too far from good restaurants and convenience stores. However, you may not want to leave because of their amazing food (and buffet)!
Check out Royal Thai Village, Phuket, Thailand
Fisherman Way Beach Villa, Phuket
The Fisherman Way Beach Villa has anyone truly feel at home yet with all the fun and serene facilities to make it the best work vacation ever. You can choose from different villas with 1, 2, or 3-bedrooms. You can choose villas with private pools or surround by gardens. There are even quaint cottages if you want to be around greeneries and nature.
There are many different services and facilities you can take advantage of in the accommodation, such as breakfast at the Summer Breakfast Bar, onsite barbecue grills to enjoy BBQ by the yard and beach, along a swimming pool and coffee bar. You are also walking distance from the Fisherman Way Business Garden, a small retail park where you can find various restaurants, a coffee shop, a beauty salon, retail shops, and more!
Digital nomads won’t have an issue with the Internet or workspaces, as they can accomplish their projects by the pool, their rooms, or in the onsite coffee shop and restaurant.
Check out Fisherman Way Beach Villas, Phuket, Thailand
Visa to Thailand as a Remote Worker
While Thailand is no stranger to digital nomads, one caveat people think of is the fact that Thailand doesn’t offer visas exclusively for remote workers (not yet, anyway).
Thailand has an excellent visa exemption program supporting more than 60 nationalities. Visitors can stay in the country for up to 30 days, or even up to 45 days.
If you plan for a more extended stay, visitors can apply for another visa, such as a tourist or Special Tourist Visa. Such visas allow people to stay in the country for 60-90 days. You can refer to the Thai e-visa official website or inquire your local Thai embassy for further information.
Thailand now has a SMART visa where people can stay and work Thailand for up to four years. However, it’s a restrictive solution for now, with only fewer than 1,000 applications approved so far.
Fortunately, the Thai government is planning to create a new visa for up to 10 years(!) for foreign citizens who want to stay in Thailand with certain conditions, including digital nomads / remote workers. (reference: thethaiger.com)
Furthermore, for those who want to work as a digital nomad in Thailand, you must consider the Thailand tax law. The country would primarily look at income generated within, but if you stay for over 180 days of the year, they will look at your overseas income and investment return you bring. The country’s government recently approved a plan for long-stay visa holders to have waived personal income tax.
Transportation in Thailand
It can either be easy or difficult when thinking of transportation, depending on where you’re from.
For example, you won’t have to worry much about moving around the city if you’re from Bangkok. The public transportation system is well-developed and accessible, with some vacation rentals living a few minutes away from trains, buses, and such. Furthermore, you can find taxicabs or transport companies like Grab.
It can be a bit more challenging in provincial areas, though you can always ask locals how to get to areas or use helpful apps that show you where to go. You may also want to rent a scooter for the long-term, though you will need a valid driving license you can use in Thailand.
Internet in Thailand
As for the Internet, Thailand is known to have reliable telecom infrastructure. In fact, it’s one of the best in Southeast Asia and also very affordable. For example, you pay about US$7 for broadband connection and US$13 for unlimited 4G mobile data, which gives you about 50 Mbps connection. Other packages offer over 1 GBps of connection, costing about US$20.
That said, some digital nomads have complained about the WiFi in certain cafes and apartments. It’s better to invest in better Internet and get a separate package so you won’t experience any lags and whatnot. There may be signal issues in specific areas (usually provincial). However, overall, it’s still stable and will suffice, especially if you have backup mobile data from your phone and 4G sim.
Thailand is a beautiful place to visit, whether you’re a digital nomad, ex-pat, or tourist. From their reliable Internet to ease of transportation, low cost of living to spectacular sights, you’ll never run out of things to do and see here. If you’re worried about where to stay, the country has vacation rentals for every traveler of any budget and lifestyle.
From luxury villas to beach resorts or co-living spaces and hostels, you can indeed find the best places to live in to achieve your travel and work goals. Just make sure that you also prepare for other aspects of your trip, such as your itinerary, visa, budget for food and transportation, and the like.
Hopefully, we helped you find the place of your liking for your next adventure in Thailand.