Bangkok comes in at No.2 in world’s best digital nomad cities
A study by a UK-based company has named Bangkok the second best city in the world to work as a digital nomad. The company, called The Instant Group, is a flexible working solutions provider. The Instant Group found that over half of the world’s top 60 cities for digital nomads are in Asia.
Other Asian cities on the list included Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Hong Kong. The only city to beat Bangkok is Lisbon, Portugal. In choosing the best cities for digital nomads, The Instant Group considered these factors: affordability, weather, broadband speed, scenery, and transport. Bangkok scored well in all these categories.
Thailand’s main selling points earning it its No.2 spot were the city’s famous local cuisine, its availability of over 15,000 high-speed WiFi spots, its transport options, and its cheap accommodation. The average cost for a night in an Airbnb is 1,174 baht.
Even though Bangkok snagged second spot on the list, seeking a legitimate visa that supports the digital nomad lifestyle has been notoriously difficult in Thailand. Last month, the Thai cabinet announced some changes to the 10-year Long Term Resident visa that could make a life in the Land of Smiles a realistic option.
The LTR visa is aimed at four groups: 1) wealthy foreigners 2) retirees 3) working foreigners and 4) specialists.
Digital nomads could be classified as either “Working Foreigners” or “Specialists,” who must both meet 2 requirements to be eligible for the LTR visa…
1) They must have an employment or service contract with a Thai OR a foreign company.
2) They must be able to provide proof of 5 years work experience in the relevant industry, completed within 10 years of the application date.
The Cabinet also announced they will halve the one-time fee for the LTR visa from 100,000 to 50,000 baht.
So, if you have the contract and proof of 5 years of work experience, it’s a pretty sweet deal that gets you a visa in Thailand valid for 10 years. Also, LTR visa holders are welcome to bring their spouse and up to four children under the age of 20 with them into the kingdom.
The changes were expected to come into effect 90 days after their official announcement in the Royal Gazette.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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If you want to travel to Thailand, apply for the Thailand Pass with the 24-hour service and obtain Covid Insurance (including free SIM cards).
Note: Unvaccinated travellers require a negative RT-PCR test result 72 hours before travelling.
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