Places to stay

• Huay Kaew Residence – monthly prices 4,000 to 16,000 baht (Oct 2014 ~30 baht = US $1)
• smith residence 7,000 to 20,000 baht per month.
• Green Hill Place (near university)- 11,000 to 22,000 monthly
• The Opium (Agoda – web site) – monthly rates 12,500 to 30,000
• MP Place (24 sq meters – 6,000 baht/month; 39 sq meters – 8,500 baht/month)
• Digital Nomad Accommodation Chiang Mai

Co-working spaces

• PunSpace ~ 200 baht/day
• Coffee Monster
• CAMP (in MAYA shopping mall)

Reports from Digital Nomads

• Chiang Mai is the perfect base for digital nomads by Samuel Jeffery, they stayed at smith residence. September 2013.
• Life as a Nomad: Chiang Mai, Thailand by Chris Backe – suggests a business visa for long term stays. October 2014.
• Chiang Mai, Thailand – a review of Thailand’s digital nomad hotspot by Sebastian Johnsson, April, 2014.
• Lifestyle-Overhead: Why Chiang Mai is Ground Zero by Clayton Cornell – it took me under 8 hours to setup – “finding and paying for my apartment ($153/month), CrossFit gym membership ($70/month), scooter rental ($90/month), local phone/data plan ($24/mo unlimited data). It’s the most turn-key place to start getting-sh*t-done that I’ve ever seen.”
• 18 Reasons Why Chiang Mai makes a Perfect Digital Nomad Headquarters by Erin McNeaney, December, 2011.
• Digital Nomad Location #1 – Chiang Mai by Erin Jane

See Curious Cat Chiang Mai Map in full screen

Forums, discussions, connect with others online

• chiangmai subreddit – not very active
• Thailand subreddit

Visa

• 48 countries are exempt from needing visa for 30 day tourist visits. Another 28 countries can get visa on arrival (at the main checkpoints). Others have to get visa in advance.
• “Furthermore, foreigners who enter the Kingdom under this Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme may re-enter and stay in Thailand for a cumulative duration of stay of not exceeding 90 days within any 6-month period from the date of first entry.”
• As far as I can tell in order to get a 60 or 90 day visa you also need to get that in advance (though Thai embassy – also various online brokers can help but it isn’t cheap). My current guess is you can extend you stay by 30 days at a land border if you are from the 48 exempt countries. Frankly I am just guessing (I can’t find conclusive evidence). It appears you can do this a few times in a row but then you will be prevented from extending.
• Business visa may well be possible for digital nomads that want to stay for a longer period. 5,000 baht for 1 year multiple entry 3 year is 10,000. The forms seem a bit complicated and not really aimed at digital nomad type arrangements (but some people have done this).
• Retirement O-A visas – must be over 50 and has some capital and income requirements (“monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, or a deposit account plus a monthly income totaling not less than 800,000 Baht”). It seems to be limited to 1 year but I read things about a 3 year version? You can get it extended. You need to check in with immigration every 90 days.

Calendar

“from the end of February to the beginning of April farmers around Chiang Mai burn their fields which results in a ton of smoke and smog in Chiang Mai.”

Festivals in Chiang Mai

• New Year Celebrations
• The Chiang Mai Flower Festival in February
• Songkran Water Festival April 13-15 (sometimes begins earlier)
• City Pillar Festival in May or June
• Loy Krathong usually in November

Transportation

The public bus system is now in operation daily from 6 am to 10 pm. The bus fare is only Baht 15. Bus schedule to other cities.

Many digital nomads hire motorbikes by the month.

Tuk Tuk: they will take you on 10-minute trip for about 60-100 baht depending on your haggling skills. Make sure you agree the fare before.

Mobile phone plan options

Thailand’s Best Cellular Service Provider? It’s Not What You Think.. AIS, Truemove

Worldwide: Pay as You Go Sim with Data Wiki