Can Thailand become a digital nomad hub?

[Jonathan Fairfield]

 

 

The coronavirus has accelerated most businesses’ moves online and has caused an evolution in the way entrepreneurs and young generations work globally. Lynn Howard, an entrepreneurial coach and consultant believes that, with great Wi-Fi, infrastructure and all the energy Thailand brings, we could become a real capital for digital nomads, but that needs practical action by the public sector.

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-12-05

 

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[RmcaIssan]

The education standards and command of English and other languages falls well short to demonstrate capability to be a global player ..

[Jeffr2]

Too much corruption here for most to deal with.  Some can deal with it, but many others can't.  I know a few who tried Chiang Mai, but go put off by the bad air.

[HAPPYNUFF]

 What  difference will one more hub in the centre of the universe make. Go for it Somchai.

[Swiss1960]

All it needs is legislation that allows people to set up their one-man company, work digitally for whoever gives them work and pay taxes on their income, whether from abroad or from within Thailand. 

[Geoffggi]

Don't forget to keep some electricity for the multitude of electric cars ...................LOL

[Heng]

Already is for plenty of folks.  All that is needed is half decent net access and legal foreign condo ownership.   

[John Drake]

Lynn Howard. B-Ark

[Tropicalevo]

13 minutes ago, Swiss1960 said:

All it needs is legislation that allows people to set up their one-man company, work digitally for whoever gives them work and pay taxes on their income, whether from abroad or from within Thailand. 

What you write makes sense.

Add on to that easy access to visas and simple immigration points.

However, the Generals are never going to allow that. They want control and do not want free thinking individuals.

[tingtong]

Can become a digital nomad hub. Yes.

But not the way they are currently imagining it!

 

However if the goal would shift to have ppl staying longer term and spend money to local economy, rent, eat, travel around in free time... with reasonable requirements, that would work.

[tingtongfarang]

Seems they dont understand the word nomad

 

a member of a people who have no fixed residence but move from place to place usually seasonally

Edited December 5, 2021 by tingtongfarang

[The Hammer2021]

7 minutes ago, Heng said:

Already is for plenty of folks.  All that is needed is half decent net access and legal foreign condo ownership.   

Condo ownership by foreigners is legal!

[tingtongfarang]

1 minute ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Condo ownership by foreigners is legal!

By nature nomads should not want to own a condo

[The Hammer2021]

6 minutes ago, tingtongfarang said:

By nature nomads should not want to own a condo

I didn't know they had taken a vow of poverty

[The Cipher]

13 minutes ago, Heng said:

and legal foreign condo ownership. 

As one of these mythical remote workers that keeps getting discussed, I've been totally fine just renting. But the option to buy is always nice of course, since optionality does have value.

 

What I'd most like to have is a more convenient visa that offers an elegant multi-entry and long-stay solution with minimal hassle. Would also like to be able to open a local bank account and apply for local financial products.

[Heng]

10 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Condo ownership by foreigners is legal!

Yes, as mentioned, hence it's already an informal favourite of nomads.   Of course the 'digital nomad' is a broad spectrum in itself from white hats to the less savoury.    

[scorecard]

43 minutes ago, RmcaIssan said:

The education standards and command of English and other languages falls well short to demonstrate capability to be a global player ..

Good point but I suspect she's meaning revenue opportunities for young foreigners, not Thais. 

[zzzzz]

As far as internet goes<  I was paying 640 baht ( @$20) for AIS fiber in Phuket 200 mbs up and down>
I am now in Kep cambodia paying $16 for 18 mbs up and down and its JUST AS FAST as i was getting in Phuket as nobody uses fiber, only their phones>

Easy 1 year visas<  Up to 8% interest on fixed bank accounts

Downside is outside of PP; availability of goods is way below Thailand, Medical outside of PP sucks, accommodations are nowhere near the value, street food sucks, cost are appx 20% higher for most things

But it is an option for those that cant afford or qualify for the "digital nomad visa" in Thailand

Edited December 5, 2021 by zzzzz

[Heng]

2 minutes ago, The Cipher said:

As one of these mythical remote workers that keeps getting discussed, I've been totally fine just renting. But the option to buy is always nice of course, since optionality does have value.

 

What I'd most like to have is a more convenient visa that offers an elegant multi-entry and long-stay solution with minimal hassle. Would also like to be able to open a local bank account and apply for local financial products.

While not subject to the local visa and bank account hurdles myself, IMO a place loses its 'charm' if anyone could just set up shop there (and true nomads will of course find a way anyway).  ???? 

[tingtongfarang]

At one time there was quite a number of digital nomads who would spend time here in thailand, OK did,nt pay taxes directly but were infact big spenders, Everything they needed was here ...enter on a tourist visa cheap apartment rental and reasonable internet access plus a nightlife scene,

The government changed the visa rules in order to be rid of these nomads and were successful,

All that happened was the nomads put a hard disk in the jacket pocket and got a taxi to the airport doing what nomads do,

The government lost these big spenders!

[MRToMRT]

Whats she selling? Her own services? Couldn't get to the end of it as it just seemed more marketing speil. Everything is marketing crep/spiel these days. 

[tingtongfarang]

12 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I didn't know they had taken a vow of poverty

I thought the subject was nomads, a person who buys a property and works from home would be exactly that,

 

a person working from home!

[recom273]

9 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

Whats she selling? Her own services? Couldn't get to the end of it as it just seemed more marketing speil. Everything is marketing crep/spiel these days. 

Yes, I noticed a lot of these digital nomads are just perpetuating the myth of the digital nomad by selling their services, producing videos or speaking at seminars but very few actually make a real living from the gospel they preach, maybe i'm wrong.

Edited December 5, 2021 by recom273

[Misterwhisper]

51 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

but that needs practical action by the public sector.

And herein lies the problem. What the public sector mostly offers is IMpractical action, manifested by convoluted visa and work permit rules that change more often than the seasons, unrealistic financial requirements, restrictive company ownership laws for  most foreigners (except Americans, who can take advantage of the Vietnam War-era "Amity Treaty"), etc. etc..

 

Take a glance at the digital nomads scheme that they recently formulated and realize the ridiculous preconditions they've set up, including income (from abroad!) requirements and fancy university degrees. Then compare these rules to those of other countries (Portugal, Malta, Cambodia, Vietnam, Jamaica, Ecuador, Lithuania, Estonia, and so on and so forth) that make it incredibly easy for digital nomads to live and work there.

 

I wonder how much Lynn Howard got paid for waxing on so enthusiastically. Well, perhaps she needed the additional income... 

[The Cipher]

5 minutes ago, Heng said:

While not subject to the local visa and bank account hurdles myself, IMO a place loses its 'charm' if anyone could just set up shop there (and true nomads will of course find a way anyway).  ???? 

Maybe this is just me, but I could do without the plucky 'charm' of overcoming local administrative obstacles. Running a business and a job are time/effort consuming enough.

 

I split time between Vancouver and Bangkok and ideally I want the transition to/from locations be seamless, efficient, and optimized. It's not bad now, but could be better.

 

Solving admin problems might be a 'spunky life experience' for some people, and I get that, but I think there are better things for me to be spending my time on at this stage.

[Farangus]

Thailand could become such a country, but will not, as long as the authorities adhere to the policy of "we need only money of the farangs, but not the dirty farangs in the country" ...

[spidermike007]

They drone on and on about a hub for this and a hub for that. 

 

My question is always the same. What sacrifices are the goons willing to make, to attract these new groups? Tax breaks, longer hassle free visas, no work permits, and other incentives? Are there any adults in the room? 

[John Drake]

24 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

Whats she selling? Her own services? Couldn't get to the end of it as it just seemed more marketing speil. Everything is marketing crep/spiel these days. 

This woman appears to be everything I came to Thailand to avoid.

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, Swiss1960 said:

All it needs is legislation that allows people to set up their one-man company, work digitally for whoever gives them work and pay taxes on their income, whether from abroad or from within Thailand. 

First they have to actually want foreigners here, which the majority don't and certainly not in any significant numbers.

[Mr Meeseeks]

59 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

As far as internet goes<  I was paying 640 baht ( @$20) for AIS fiber in Phuket 200 mbs up and down>
I am now in Kep cambodia paying $16 for 18 mbs up and down and its JUST AS FAST as i was getting in Phuket as nobody uses fiber, only their phones>

Easy 1 year visas<  Up to 8% interest on fixed bank accounts

Downside is outside of PP; availability of goods is way below Thailand, Medical outside of PP sucks, accommodations are nowhere near the value, street food sucks, cost are appx 20% higher for most things

But it is an option for those that cant afford or qualify for the "digital nomad visa" in Thailand

Cambodia has been the recycle bin for Thailand's unwanted for 20+ years now.

 

Lovely place, but has it's limitations as you rightly state.

 

I would probably have spent longer periods there, but have businesses in Thailand that still require my full attention so limit myself to the occasional trip over. I've been over 100 times in 21 years.