1. Getting Started -Thailand Visa

When you’re a digital nomad, there is no office, no commute, no morning traffic, nor dress-code. Thailand Visa – In Thailand is the perfect place to start your new Life. The only thing in front of you is a laptop and a stable internet connection. Similarities from the conventional world are just deadlines.

And who wouldn’t want to watch the sunset from the veranda of a building facing the Gulf of Thailand, while writing an article about trendy fashion?

There is a huge community of digital nomads living in Thailand and this is seemingly because of the readily available ingredients that make nomadic life possible. If you’re the type seeking to spend your morning working, while basking in the euphoria of tropical paradise in the afternoon hours, then Thailand is your best option.

2. Thailand Visa Requirement

Getting a Thailand Visa can be somewhat complicated. If you are from the US or UK, this might probably be the first time you’re applying for a visa. Thailand does not help the current situation because there are lots of different visas and the rules are constantly changing; couple with the fact that the website is not as attractive as it should be.

For Thailand you can visit the official Website and pick your Country to see all current information.

3. Visa Types Suitable for Digital Nomads

You will be required to select the visa that best fit your needs, preferably while in your home country
Primary visas foreigners can request for:
Business Visa (B)
Tourist Visa (TR)
Dependent Visa (O)
Education Visa (ED)
Retirement Visa (O-A)
Smart Visa ( Scheduled for the January 2018)
As a digital nomad, you’ll probably have to consider either of the two– Tourist (TR) or Education (ED).

For the Future the Smart Visa Thailand should be considered the best Option and we will update our Guide when are more information is released.

3.1 Side Note for the Smart Visa:

A new 4-year Thailand visa for professionals, “Smart Visa” has just been announced by the Thai Cabinet and is scheduled to begin in January 2018.

The Smart Visa is aimed at entrepreneurs investing in new businesses, highly-skilled professionals, or executives.

The Thai government hopes the new visa will enable knowledge transfer that will boost business growth and bring long-term economic benefits.
It is not yet clear what level of investment is required, or what is meant by ‘highly-skilled’, but details of eligibility and application procedures will be announced by the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit shortly.

The professional Smart Visa aims to provide the following benefits:

Allows a 4-year Thailand Visa instead of the current one-year.
Does not require a work permit.
Gives dependents (spouse and children) the right to live and work in Thailand equivalent to the Smart Visa holder.
Extends 90-day reporting to annual reporting.

Get a Thailand Visa in Your Home Country Before You Come to Thailand
If you’re opting for a Tourist visa, it is important that you seek for it in your home country—a Double Entry or Triple Entry Visa.
A Double-entry visa outside your home country is no longer allowed in most cases.

Thailand Visa Requirements– Triple or Double Entry Tourist
Make sure you verify the following requirement in the Thai embassy in your home country.
Passport, travel document or certificate of identity, having a validity of not less than 6 months.
A completely filled Visa application form with signature.
Recent 2″ x 2″ photograph of the applicant
A copy of flight ticket
When traveling on a Tourist visa, have a minimum of $2,000 USD in the bank that is within easy reach.

There can be changes in Thailand Visa regulations from time to time so it is your responsibility to be up to date with all the information before your journey to Thailand. So have all your research work done before the journey.

4. How to Travel Cheap

The cheapest way to travel inside Thailand

The following tips will help you save money while in Thailand.

4.1 Go Local 

Saving money while in Thailand requires that you go local. Take local buses, eat their food and even drink local beer. The average Thai lives on less than 7,750 THB a month in Bangkok and less for those living in the countryside. You should be spending as little as 335 THB per day.

Don’t be afraid to try out their street food; sometimes it’s even safer than the so called restaurant food. You’ll definitely find the best of Thai food in the streets and that’s why they are packed with people on a daily basis.

Most Menues are in Thai in small stalls and you should look up beforehand some common dishes and their Thai Names, it will make your ordering a lot easier.

4.2 Use Apps to travel via Cars

With the rise of Uber and the Thai travel provider Grabtaxi and other Taxi apps, there can be found to be a cheap alternativ to travel with comfortable and secure Taxis without a overcharge. But be careful in some City’s Uber and Grabtaxi are banned and you should look up for your desired City if they are allowed.

The Department of Land Transport is set to launch a mobile phone application called ‘Taxi OK’ to regain public trust and confidence in Thai taxi services.

4.3 Stay in hostels

There are so many to choose from and they’re quite economica. You will find several of them in the touristy areas of Thailand. You’ll definitely be saving a lot of money if you go for them.

Most of the time if you just walk in without a reservation and compare the price with the Online booking platforms, you can normally get a better Price for your Stay.

Don’t book any tours before your Arrival
Whatever adventure you want to embark on, it’s advisable you keep it on hold until your arrival. There are so many travel agencies located all over the tourist areas, looking to sell tours to you. If you purchase these tours online before you come, you’ll be paying a lot more.

Small Travel Agencys are normally cheaper, because they cut off their own commissions, than as to book directly from the Hotel.
But most of the time they dont refund money and it can be a Gamble if the forget to pick you up, so you will have to consider it, if its worth for you.

4.4 How to choose Location

Being a digital nomad, you would want to opt for locations that support your endeavor, for example, where there is a stable internet connection and Wifi. Locations like Chiang Mai might be a perfect fit for its incredible amount of open social network groups, constantly providing seminars, dinners, meet-ups, social outing and even networking opportunities. You might want to find where there’s a large presence of nomad groups that makes you feel at home.

4.5 Affordable living and comfort

If you’re coming from a western country, you’ll find the cost quite affordable most especially if you are on a budget. It’s possible to get a tastefully furnished studio apartment for around $300 a month and you will be getting a mix of hip, urban style with a slow pace-living if you decide to stay in Chaiang Mai.

5. How to Find Cheap Accommodation

Living a digital nomad life in places like Bangkok is not an easy thing to do. I’m not saying it’s impossible to live in expensive areas or cities, but all you need to do is to take advantage of what this kind of lifestyle brings to the fullest.
If you are travelling to a country like Thailand with a hot climate, you wouldn’t want to return to a hot room after the day’s work is over. In such situations, an air conditioner is an absolute necessity.

While considering this, cheap accommodation would be your primary objective. Finding facilities and accommodation that suit your choice are not difficult to find. If you’re used to the dormitory, there are many of them that go for a little fee, but you may not be in close proximity to the airport. You can check out some websites that offer good deals for your needs like our unique homes on Properties Away.
Another option is turning your attention to Airbnb; you might just be able to reach a deal with an apartment owner for mouth-watering price.

You could also contact us directly and we would happily help you through the search for a affordable vacation home.

6. Nomad Social life

Living the Digital Nomad Lifestyle means you rely on the internet to make ends meet, where you become independent as you constantly move between cities.

Technology is a major factor that affects digital nomads, and it’s in two folds; the rapid pace of technology advances is decreasing the population of ancient nomadic people because it’s provides more reason to settle down. On the other hand, you can work remotely, a way of life that allows anyone to work online with great flexibility.

While working in co-working place, making friends with freelancers and fellow online entrepreneurs is an easy thing to do. There are plenty of meet-up groups around the city, and the city is full of foreigners and expats, so hanging out with your own kind wouldn’t be difficult.
A digital nomad would avoid anything that could force him or her to be tied down to one location; there are a lot of sacrifices to be made to ensure the sustainability of this lifestyle.

7. Living in Thailand

Thailand is a very attractive tourist destination. You can enjoy anything from stunning mountains to white sand beaches and vibrant cosmopolitan cities, and with its good internet and WiFi network, it’s a magnet for digital nomads. Here you can find a small selection of recommended tour operators around Koh Samui.

The amazing reduced cost of living is something to look out for. For the same amount for a two months’ rent somewhere in Europe, you can rent an apartment for one whole year!

It is a riveting experience for digital nomad living in Thailand, as they availed themselves a relaxed and cheaper lifestyle with good weather and friendly locals. Because of its popularity as a tourist destination, Thailand is one of the cheapest places to fly to in Asia, with direct flight from so many international airports.

Wouldn’t you rather partake in a rewarding experience of a lifetime?

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