I'm here on a spouse visa; my wife has a work permit.

This year I need to complete a dissertation - I am a registered student at a university in the UK. The dissertation will involve a lot of time at a computer, and I was thinking of getting a desk at a coworking space like Launchpad.

Any serious risk of falling foul of labour or immigration if I do this? University in UK very well known, I have a student card, and uni would be happy to verify my status if needed.

If you would do it from an appartment it would be no problem, from an office space it would be more suspect and a greater chance of a check if you have a work permit.

Do you really need a work permit? Probably not, but it is a bit of a grey area with no definitieve answer. I suspect nobody will make a problem of it.

I'm working in coworking space now. I think they are under the radar so far. Especially if you are here working on a laptop, who is to say you didn't come just for the day (which is an option at all of them). I would highly recommend it and I'm loving working at one now. Its a game changer for me in BKK. The 3 have used in the order that I like them are The Hive, Glowfish and Hubba.

Probably not, but it is a bit of a grey area with no definitieve answer.

Why would this be a grey area? The OP is studying and not doing any work at all in Thailand.

You would not be working, you would only be doing things that are expected of a student. Unless there is more to the sitution, you won't need a work permit.

Seriously, people are overly-worried about stuff like this.

Using a co-working space does not turn your studying into work. And even if by some strange logic it was construed that it was work, you're hardly going to get found, investigated and charged, because you're not earning money and not taking a Thai job.

A fair few self-employed techy people on tourist visas do online work from them without issue, and have for a while.

Probably not, but it is a bit of a grey area with no definitieve answer.

Why would this be a grey area? The OP is studying and not doing any work at all in Thailand.

Studying means study at a Thai institution. If not it is as I said probably OK if it is only writing his dissertation, but under circumstances they might see it differently. Especially if he is doing research or if he plans to publish his disertation as a book.

If Officials from Ministry of Labor or Immigration "visit" this place you will be in serious trouble.

It does not matter if you working ,studying or do something for free or without pay.

You are in a Office. They suspect you are working.

Do it from your home, it will save you a lot of potential trouble.

Some of these horror stories circulating in forums are actual true.

Probably not, but it is a bit of a grey area with no definitieve answer.

Why would this be a grey area? The OP is studying and not doing any work at all in Thailand.

Studying means study at a Thai institution. If not it is as I said probably OK if it is only writing his dissertation, but under circumstances they might see it differently. Especially if he is doing research or if he plans to publish his disertation as a book.

With an ED visa, yes, but that is not necessary at all here.

You're making way, way too much of it.

why somebody would use office/coworking space writing a dissertation instead of doing it undisturbed at home is beyond my grasp