Video Chiang Mai: The Capital of Digital Nomads

[Jonathan Fairfield]

 

Find out what so fascinating about Chiang Mai, which makes it became the best digital nomad destinations? And what is it like to be living and working in the north of Thailand.

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-09-21

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[jackdd]

"not too polluted" - only one third of the year on of the most polluted citiesc in the world

"people give good service" - no have

 

They forgot to mention that everywhere else in Thailand the food is better. Me and my GF never had such a hard time to find Thai restaurants where we like the food. Also the Thai people here in the north are closed-off compared to Thais in other regions, especially in Isaan, so you will feel less welcome.

 

Pro:

Big city but still close to mountains and nature

Climate outside of the burning season

Networking (no personal experience, just believe the people in the video)

 

Contra:

Everything else can be found in better in other places

[ThomasThBKK]

58 minutes ago, jackdd said:

They forgot to mention that everywhere else in Thailand the food is better. Me and my GF never had such a hard time to find Thai restaurants where we like the food. Also the Thai people here in the north are closed-off compared to Thais in other regions, especially in Isaan, so you will feel less welcome.

 

CM is one of those places with biiiig potential but they make absolutely nothing out of it, even worse they make it worse it each year.

 

Many many people could life there especially with kids, Bangkok really sucks for families - but the smoke each year alone makes it unbearable, such a shame. The mountains are really nice but it's an unliveable place, would be so easy to change it and transform it into a nice first tier city if only we had a real government...

 

 

[khunpa]

1 hour ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

CM is one of those places with biiiig potential but they make absolutely nothing out of it, even worse they make it worse it each year.

 

Many many people could life there especially with kids, Bangkok really sucks for families - but the smoke each year alone makes it unbearable, such a shame. The mountains are really nice but it's an unliveable place, would be so easy to change it and transform it into a nice first tier city if only we had a real government...

 

 

 

Agree, CM has huge potential and it is actually great to live here, if you are able to leave during the smoke season.

 

The smoke season and especially it getting worse every year, will end up destroying this otherwise beautiful place.
 

[Bassosa]

Chiang Mai officials can finally relax now that the digital nomad hype is over and they are increasingly heading over to other locations: Colombia, Portugal, Spain, Georgia, Czech Republic.

 

I know that nomads are not popular with the retirees but for the city I think it's a huge lost opportunity. Tech-savvy, educated, environmentally aware people. Rent condos, motorbikes, spend money at restaurants....who needs them anyway right?

 

 

 

 

[Xaos]

Been twice in CM didn't liked it, found it boring after few days. 

[jak2002003]

7 minutes ago, Xaos said:

Been twice in CM didn't liked it, found it boring after few days. 

Thanks for that constructive and well thought out post.

 

Many people have lived here many years and love it and don't find it boring, indeed, still discovering new things after 12 years living here.

 

[MartinKal]

6 hours ago, jackdd said:

"not too polluted" - only one third of the year on of the most polluted citiesc in the world

"people give good service" - no have

 

They forgot to mention that everywhere else in Thailand the food is better. Me and my GF never had such a hard time to find Thai restaurants where we like the food. Also the Thai people here in the north are closed-off compared to Thais in other regions, especially in Isaan, so you will feel less welcome.

 

Pro:

Big city but still close to mountains and nature

Climate outside of the burning season

Networking (no personal experience, just believe the people in the video)

 

Contra:

Everything else can be found in better in other places

Always moaning. For God's sake stop moaning and start getting the most out of, look on the bright side, glass half full.

 

Alternatively, get down that internet pharmacy and top up your tabs.

[Danthai]

56 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

Thanks for that constructive and well thought out post.

 

Many people have lived here many years and love it and don't find it boring, indeed, still discovering new things after 12 years living here.

 

23 years living in Chiang Mai with family.. Prior to that came 5 years for my export business. Only problem for me is during pollution periods get allergies and Bronchitis now and then. You can find good and bad everywhere if you look hard enough.

[natb19]

So what's the visa situation if you're a digital nomad?

[The Theory]

The burning season is a terrible time, but more and more diesel  songthaews make it all year long high polluted city. I had to wash my apartment balcony (black dust) everyday when I lived there. 

Even the night bazar is noting like what it used to be. 

[Caldera]

Pathetic. They don't even have breathable air for several months each year, every year. Oh and there's also no digital nomad visa, but that's not specific to Chiang Mai.

[donnacha]

1 hour ago, natb19 said:

So what's the visa situation if you're a digital nomad?

A digital nomad is just a category of tourist, and plenty of writers, artists, entrepreneurs etc lived nomadically long before "digital" became a thing. Hell, I was beavering away on my laptop here in the early 90's and didn't consider it to be anything special.

Like any other western tourist, they can cheaply and easily get a tourist visa that will give them 89 days in Thailand, rotating through once or even twice a year as long as they spend time in other countries too. What they cannot do is live full-time in Thailand. I have no problem with people being able to spend all their time and money in Thailand, I see it as a win for everyone, but, let's be clear: that is not being nomadic.

A tiny fraction of expats who live essentially full-time in Chiang Mai have led the digital nomad hype because they provide services, or sell events, or rent accommodation to digital nomads. It is notable (and shameful) that many of these same people, for their own selfish business interests, also downplay the danger of the burning season.

These characters sometimes build their stature within the "community" by pretending they are "in talks" with the government about this mythical, wondrous thing: the Digital Nomad Visa. There is no need or, indeed, any real demand for such a visa. Yes, it would be nice to see a return to the more relaxed pre-coup tourist visa system, but 3 months is a decent amount of time for any truly nomadic worker to experience any one city.

No one with options should even consider living year-round anywhere in the north of Thailand anyway, the burning season alone rules out 4 months and appears to be expanding.

Just to be clear, I am not attacking the idea of being a digital nomad, just the industry that has bloomed opportunistically around it. I am glad that an increasing number of people have the gumption to work for themselves, even if it is just giving English lessons by video call to Chinese students. What an amazing opportunity we all have to experience the world while making reasonable money.

Contrary to the suspicions of the retirees who seem to be obsessed with them, most digital nomads I know are quick to pick up skills that earn them more than they would earn in a job back home in the West. Some of those scruffy, tattooed fellas are making over a million per year. I have actually helped quite a lot of retirees in Thailand to develop the same basic skills to significantly add to their income. There continues to be a staggering amount of work and business available online.

If Thailand does not currently want to cater to this growing category of tourist, that is fine. Go experience other countries in the region. Vietnam is not Thailand but has its own charms. The Philippines is rougher but can be a profoundly positive experience, just avoid Manila and Angeles. Every neighboring country has spent decades staring enviously at the consistent stream of foreign currency that Thailand takes for granted. They are happy to pick up the ball if Thailand wants to drop it.

I would also urge EU citizens to reconsider the possibilities open to them in that big, wonderful continent. It is no longer necessarily the case that Asia is cheaper, not when you add everything up and, especially, consider the direction in which Asian currencies are moving. In Europe, you have far cleaner air and beaches, significantly safer traffic, consumer protections (in particular as a tenant), cheaper groceries, functional police, an active digital nomad community in most cities, and a quality of medical care, essentially free, that would cost a lot in Asia. More importantly, you are a citizen, you do not even have to waste a moment thinking about visas.

 

Edited September 21, 2019 by donnacha

[Happy Grumpy]

It's little wonder.

 

They can come to a beautiful small city for a few months, legally do their online-work online from co-working spaces on a tourist visa. ????

 

Well done the digital nomads. Have fun. ????

[donnacha]

7 hours ago, Xaos said:

Been twice in CM didn't liked it, found it boring after few days.

There are definitely more hookers in Pattaya.

[Destiny1990]

Oh its one of those self proclaimed hub threads..

[DLock]

A few years ago I would have defended Chiang Mai. I have been here 12 years.

 

However, given the air quality problems, I can no longer recommend CM as a place to live year round. It's just not safe or comfortable. 

 

CM has potential, but the powers that be don't seem capable or willing to solve the air quality issues....and if the AQI is as bad as last year, I expect a lot more people to leave and fewer people to arrive/visit and CM could become a toxic city.

 

 

[QPRFC]

On 9/21/2019 at 9:32 PM, natb19 said:

So what's the visa situation if you're a digital nomad?

Exactly, there is no Digital Nomad visa and it's illegal to work in Thailand on a Tourist, Education or Retirement visa. Even Work Permits only allow you to work for a specified Thai organisation.

 

I can feel an Immigration raid brewing at this place in Nimman!

[DLock]

8 minutes ago, QPRFC said:

Exactly, there is no Digital Nomad visa and it's illegal to work in Thailand on a Tourist, Education or Retirement visa. Even Work Permits only allow you to work for a specified Thai organisation.

 

I can feel an Immigration raid brewing at this place in Nimman!

 

Digital Nomads are safe. They will not get raided and Immigration can prove nothing.

 

They are just playing Fortnite.

 

Why worry about DM's? It's not your business and we are all well aware of working without work permits....but there is no way any DM's have anything to fear as long as they have legal visa to be here.

[wisperone]

On 9/21/2019 at 10:44 AM, The Theory said:

I had to wash my apartment balcony (black dust) everyday when I lived there. 

Unfortunately there is no way to wash one's lungs out.

[tabarin]

LOL, after kicking everyone out due to visa policy and lack of offering a suitable visa, they now come with this video?
They are all gone, long gone, the pollution is only adding motivation to stay away too.

Most that I do encounter are newbies and they often leave as soon finding out the troubles with visa (6-12 months later) + they often do not put in the actual work to make it sustainable long term. Plenty in Indonesia and Vietnam by now.

Edited September 28, 2019 by tabarin

[richard10365]

I love it here in Chiang Mai. I've been here since 2006 and don't plan on ever leaving.

 

[LivinLOS]

On 9/21/2019 at 6:13 PM, donnacha said:

Some of those scruffy, tattooed fellas are making over a million per year.

Sterling ?? US Dollars ?? Euros ?? 

[LivinLOS]

On 9/24/2019 at 8:59 AM, DLock said:

 

Digital Nomads are safe. They will not get raided and Immigration can prove nothing.

 

They are just playing Fortnite.

So they have to lie about working.. Hence your know they are not legally entitled to.. 

[LivinLOS]

21 minutes ago, richard10365 said:

I love it here in Chiang Mai. I've been here since 2006 and don't plan on ever leaving.

 

Very nomadic !!