Moderate year-round temperatures, low prices, and a diverse mix of cultures make Chiang Mai a popular spot for those who work remotely. Overlooked by a mountainous landscape, the Thai city is a hotspot for digital nomads; widely recognised as a top location for remote working, not only in Thailand and Southeast Asia but also worldwide.
With the demand from digital nomads growing, it’s no surprise that the number of dedicated coworking spaces has grown and various cafes have become hybrid coffee and working spaces. One of the things that Chiang Mai, and Thailand, to do well when it comes to remote work is the network they are interested in nurturing: spaces have their own initiatives to invest and connect startups and entrepreneurs with investors and like-minded workers. Below we’ve selected seven of the best, spanning across the city and each with their own individual character and benefits.
Punspace
Punspace is one of the original coworking hubs in Chiang Mai and has three locations across the city: Nimman, Tha Pae Gate and the Old City. One benefit of Punspace is that if you have a weekly or monthly pass, you can visit all three of its Chiang Mai venues. Open 24 hours, Punspace attracts a diverse range of professionals and startups working in digital marketing, developing and writing- to name just a few. Casual workers can work here between 9 am and 6 pm. Punspace also has a ‘Startup in Residence’ project where Punspace members can collaborate with local Thai startups.
Wake Up
A coffee shop-cum-working space, Wake Up is ideal for those who aren’t looking to commit to renting a coworking space. Popular amongst the young crowd, digital nomads and Thai students are amongst the regular visitors to this cafe which balances the focused vibe of working space with cafe culture. It is also recommended for coffee lovers as it offers a diverse range of coffee, with coffee beans coming from Brazil, Indonesia and Columbia. Open 24 hours a day, Wake Up is located on Nimmanhaemin Road, and takes up several floors with the third floor is designated as a quiet work zone.
The Brick Startup Space
Located in Nimman, the Brick Space is a coworking space ideal for budding entrepreneurs and a place to incubate creative ideas. Sponsored by the Thai Ministry of Science and Technology, its purpose is to support and guide new local Thai startup businesses. To provide this assistance to local startups the Brick Space has created its own ‘Pre-Incubation Program,’ which provides a platform and network for ideas exchange with experts and where budding entrepreneurs can receive help with the development of their business plans. The space offers private offices, fixed desk and flexible hot desk plans for one day, one week or one month. Brick Startup also holds regular events for members to network and meet locals.
Mana
Mana is a small, more boutique-style coworking space, which fits about 14 workers, this means its best to come here early to get your seat. This cosy, friendly space is ideal for those only in the city for a short time or looking for more flexible space. At Mana workers will pay by the hour or the day. Discounts are available with the purchase of drinks or food, which include homemade cakes and pastries. Mana has two meeting rooms available for rent, and the facilities include fast wifi, printing and fax service.
In the City
Complete with a roof terrace and large windows that look into the Chiang Mai, In the City creates a cool space to both live in and work. Open 24/7 it is popular with international digital nomads, entrepreneurs, developers and freelancers. Its central location means there is no shortage of cafes and restaurants to try-out at lunch or after work. The space has its own hostel, and guests can access the coworking space too. In the City has a friendly, relaxed atmosphere; previous coworkers highlight that people are able to focus on their work, whilst enjoying socialising on the terrace afterwards.
Hub 53
Hub53 was designed to enhance the experience of digital nomads and travellers in Chiang Mai. Open 24 hours during the week, and from 8 am to 8 pm on weekends, Hub53 is more than a coworking space: it’s a coliving, and community space. Hub53 has a ‘cogrowing area,’ which hosts learning boot camps for entrepreneurs. It has flexible hourly, daily, weekly and monthly plans, and accommodation is available for those here for just a short time. The modern coworking area has a great location, with a salad and smoothie bar located just next door.
Starwork
Its central location and services make StarWork a popular working space for startups, freelancers, and entrepreneurs. StarWork offers full flexibility from hot desks to fixed seats, day membership to monthly memberships, flexible work schedules and daily hours. Amenities such as fast internet, printing services, nap rooms, and meeting rooms are available. Just next door to Cafe Amazon and 7-11, members have everything they might need to fix a working lull nearby. A factor that makes this location appeal to startups is that it has its own initiative ‘Starup,’ which provides support to startup and SME by connecting members with investors.