“There’s one part of the UK that hasn’t seen the sun for four weeks…” came the voice and I almost did a double take, it feeling surreal as I listened to the report from BBC Radio via my phone, looking out on the infinity pool glittering gold in the late afternoon sun, a panoramic view of Bangkok unfolding in the background from a full 34 storeys up. Ah, this is the life, I thought, so glad I’d made the decision to swap rainy, dark southern England in winter for what seemed like the endless blue skies of Thailand. I wasn’t the only one to have escaped the gloom.
Bangkok rising: a new digital nomad hub
There’s a reason the New York Post found that Bangkok was the top destination for so-called digital nomads last year, with the country just having rolled out its Destination Thailand Visa, offering five-year multiple entry for remote workers that allows stays of up to 180 days per time. For myself, the very generous 90-day visa on arrival sufficed.
Particularly in light of the situation in the war-ravaged Middle East, where influencers have left Dubai in their droves, Bangkok has quietly become the most accessible, safe, and exciting long-haul base for remote workers. And having been a foreign correspondent in the city for the South China Morning Post in the early 2000s, I’ve seen firsthand how it’s evolved from hippie to hip. The Thai capital is no longer a crusty backpacker stopover, but an innovative remote-working hub that rivals the likes of the UAE. Considering Britain’s never-ending cost of living crisis, Bangkok is also relatively cheap, with rent and meals up to 50% cheaper than back home.
Skyline stays and city streets
Khao San Road, the grimy backpacker street where Leonardo DiCaprio’s character stayed in a flophouse in The Beach, is still a budget option for the brave, but there’s now a whole variety of accommodation to choose from, with portal Airbnb making it easy to find somewhere for medium-term rents of a month or more. No longer do you have to stomp around one building to the next to find the best offer, as I remember doing back in the day, since it’s all done online. It wasn’t hard to find my little slice of luxury, featuring vertigo-inducing views, superfast broadband and an infinity pool in central Bangkok for about £1,000/month, 30 storeys up and worlds away from Khao San.
Initially, this megalopolis of almost 20mn people seems overwhelming, but the city’s neighbourhoods also make it less daunting than it first appears, with each having its own distinct ecosystem. I stayed in the CBD in Sathorn, within walking distance to the Skytrain, the city’s monorail. Being near public transport is not just a nice-to-have; it’s essential since the perennially gridlocked traffic is probably Bangkok’s major downside.
From fine dining to street bites
Even staying centrally, I found pleasant tree-lined streets, with tucked away cafes and restaurants, with the Michelin garlanded Plu a particular favourite and while it might be fine dining Thai style, it still costs about a third less than it would in the UK. And food is a major draw, with Bangkok in the Top 10 culinary cities in the world for Michelin recognition. Talking of which, another favourite is Som Tam, in leafy Soi Sala Daeng, which offers the (very) spicy eponymous dish and other northern Thai delights at reasonable prices, a fine dinner for two at around £40.
If you’re really on a budget, then Bangkok’s great street food is a must. My neighbourhood abounded in stalls, and I’d often run downstairs in the morning and grab fresh watermelon or pineapple for breakfast for less than a pound. Lunch could be grilled chicken and sticky rice while you wait for a fifth of the price of some pre-packed sandwich you’d get back home. However, and this is also another sign of how the city’s changed, good Western food is readily available, particularly through the Grab app (the local version of Uber Eats).
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Bangkok after dark and where to drink
- In terms of bars, Vesper, recently voted one of the Top 50 watering holes in Asia, probably does the best martini in town.
- Soi Suan Plu is a street buzzing with nightlife, the highlight being Smalls, a jazz and blues bar.
- A good rooftop bar is also a must with the recently opened Dusit Thani Hotel the place for cocktails, offering stunning views over Lumphini Park, the city’s main green space.
Where the city comes alive
By far my favourite haunt by night, however, is The Oriental. This iconic hotel has just celebrated its 150th anniversary. There’s no better way to while away an evening than in this Bangkok institution’s Bamboo Bar, featuring live jazz. The whirring ceiling fans, besuited waiters and whiff of cigar smoke feel like a throwback, but that’s an intentional contrast to a city that rarely ever slows down. In fact, the whole area, Charoen Krung, is one of historical interest, with its old shophouses and shuttered buildings, another gem being Harmonique restaurant tucked away in a century-old residence and serving good Thai food.
It’s pleasing that in a city of often rapid overdevelopment, the nearby Customs House, left to rack and ruin for years, is being renovated by The Langham hotel chain and will become another destination nestled by the Chao Phraya River.
These places seem full of Thais and expats nightly, which anecdotally feels so much different to the early 2000s when being a foreigner in the city seemed a novelty. The numerous possibilities are a testament to how Bangkok has become a truly global city.
From keyboard to coastlines
However, one thing about Bangkok is that it’s a place that attacks all the senses and after a week or so of remote working you may feel the need to get away for R ‘n’ R. I went to the beach resort of Hua Hin, a three-hour train ride away (£20 return). Here I stayed at The Standard, which offers rooms for less you’d pay at home. Unlike the UK, the pristine sandy beaches and endless blue skies are included, which certainly lifts the spirits in late February.
When I did finally land back at Heathrow suitably refreshed, I peeked warily out the window but discovered the rain and darkness described in that seemingly long-ago radio report had been replaced by some spring sunshine. Nevertheless, I know where I’ll be next winter.
