Digital Nomading/Remote working

[MaisonP]

Wow small world, I stayed there for a few nights at a friend's place earlier this year en-route to the UK. That rooftop pool is beautiful.

Thanks, yes agree with you. Over and above the condo, Phrom Phong is a cool area to stay in too. On soi 22 you have old school Japanese and Chinese shops, on the other side which is soi 24 is modern and upmarket.
Bangkok really is a crazy jungle.

 

[MaisonP]

Yes indeed. I generally withdraw like 20-30k baht cash at a time to make it worth while.
That 220baht ATM fee on International Cards are a pain in the ass.

I know the pain. I just write it off and save that R110 somewhere else.
I can eat 3 times a day for R100 so it’s not a biggie here, if you know what I mean.

 

[charlieharper]

Thanks, yes agree with you. Over and above the condo, Phrom Phong is a cool area to stay in too. On soi 22 you have old school Japanese and Chinese shops, on the other side which is soi 24 is modern and upmarket.
Bangkok really is a crazy jungle.

I stayed there during Songkran week and got attacked by gogo-bar workers walking to the apartment every night. Fun.

 

[MaisonP]

I stayed there during Songkran week and got attacked by gogo-bar workers walking to the apartment every night. Fun.

I can hear that you’ve experienced the true Bangkok fully.
I love this place.

 

[charlieharper]

I can hear that you’ve experienced the true Bangkok fully.
I love this place.

It's an awesome city indeed. Used to have family that lived there and in my early 20's I'd stay with them for weeks.

 

[Dylan_G]

Posted this in the Thailand thread. Figured it should be here as well.

https://visasnews.com/en/thailand-60-day-visa-free-takes-effect-on-july-15/

South Africa is included:

Citizens from 93 countries will be able to stay in Thailand without a visa for 60 days starting July 15, 2024.

Eagerly awaited by many fans of the destination, the date for the implementation of the 60-day visa-free stay extension in Thailand has just been announced by the authorities.

And then also:

https://www.business-standard.com/f...mote-workers-details-here-124071500290_1.html

The "Land of Smiles" has introduced a new long-term tourist visa, the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV). "This visa allows holders to stay in Thailand and work remotely for companies or clients based in other countries, all without the usual immigration and tax worries," according to the Thai embassy.

Soon, if you successfully acquire a DTV, you'll receive a 5-year multiple-entry visa. This allows you to stay in Thailand for a total of 180 days per year, with the option to extend for another 180 days.

Cost of Thailand DTV Visa?
The Destination Thailand Visa is priced at 10,000 THB

Eligibility requirements for the DTV
To be eligible for the DTV, you need to meet the following criteria:
— You must be at least 20 years old.
— You must have enough funds to pay for the visa fee.
— You must show that you have at least 500,000 THB (around Rs 11,53,944) in your bank account to support your stay.
— You must provide proof of employment with a registered company.

Benefits of the Thailand DTV Visa
The DTV offers several advantages:
— Lower income requirements and visa fees compared to other Southeast Asian countries.
— The option to extend the visa for up to 180 days, costing 10,000 THB.
— Eligibility for nationals from 93 countries.
— The ability to work remotely for international companies and clients while in Thailand.
— You can bring your spouse and children under 20.
— No taxes on income from foreign sources for stays up to 180 days.

Downsides of the DTV Visa
There are a few limitations to keep in mind:
— You cannot work for a Thai company without a Thai work permit.
— Changing your visa type will terminate your DTV.

 

[Dylan_G]

I forgot I made this thread.

Anyway, update for whoever cares... I eventually went on my first Nomad trip.

This is what it looked like:



Approx 7 months, 5 countries, stayed in 9 different places.

Some random thoughts...

• It definitely felt worthwhile... I got to experience what it was like to be "completely alone" in a foreign land, yadda yadda.
• Got to live like a local.
• London accommodation is disgustingly expensive
• There is an implicit pressure to go out and "explore" when you're nomadding... which sucks... because you can't go and do stuff all the time. Sometimes you just wanna chill.
• I preferred to spend longer amounts of time in each place. Like, anything under a month feels too rushed, definitely.
• The constant mental load of having to plan your next destination, book flights+accommodation... it gets to you.

Already planning the next one.

 

[airborne]

What kind of places did you stay at and what were the cost differences between in the different cities?

 

[Dylan_G]

What kind of places did you stay at and what were the cost differences between in the different cities?

I was kinda picky, because I continued to work my 8-5 SAST.

• I stayed exclusively at AirBNBs.
• Didn't opt for any sharing (it was always the entire apartment to myself)
• AirBnB needed to have good ratings, which mentioned solid WiFi and have some kind of desk.

These are approximate. Got ChatGPT to do the heavy lifting.

 

[ronz91]

I was kinda picky, because I continued to work my 8-5 SAST.

• I stayed exclusively at AirBNBs.
• Didn't opt for any sharing (it was always the entire apartment to myself)
• AirBnB needed to have good ratings, which mentioned solid WiFi and have some kind of desk.

These are approximate. Got ChatGPT to do the heavy lifting.

View attachment 1810971

sounds like an awesome experience. are you a dev?

 

[airborne]

I was kinda picky, because I continued to work my 8-5 SAST.

• I stayed exclusively at AirBNBs.
• Didn't opt for any sharing (it was always the entire apartment to myself)
• AirBnB needed to have good ratings, which mentioned solid WiFi and have some kind of desk.

These are approximate. Got ChatGPT to do the heavy lifting.

View attachment 1810971

The UK was damn pricey, was it also a little bit pokey?

 

[Dylan_G]

sounds like an awesome experience. are you a dev?

Yep, I am.

The UK was damn pricey, was it also a little bit pokey?

Yeah, UK was expensive, but no. I actually enjoyed it.

One month of my UK accommodation was a private student res (during summer holidays). That was an interesting experience. Never stayed in a room so small, and probably never will again.

 

[purple face]

I saw this video a South African female making millions as a Social media management. Apparently she has moved to Europe now as she is doing so well. I didn't know they make so much money

If you want to work for yourself this might be the answer

 

[purple face]

@Dylan_G Have you heard of this job making the amount of money she says?

 

[Dylan_G]

@Dylan_G Have you heard of this job making the amount of money she says?

Uhhhh, kinda. Pretty sure I've heard of Nomads on Reddit talking about "Social Media Management" but no idea how much they make.

Most Nomads I've met are Devs. Some have ecommerce stores that run themselves. Some are teachers (teach English in a foreign country or teach something online so they're location independent)