Are You Working On A Business From Bangkok (Tech or otherwise)?

Not much of an entrepreneur myself, but I run a small design studio from Thong Lo and I've seen a fair number of folks try to make it work here. The biggest mistake most make is ignoring the local market entirely, they just build for the US and treat Bangkok as a cheap back office. It can work, but you'll miss out on the actual ecosystem, places like Punspace or Hubba have real communities if you need a desk and some face time. I'd also say don't skip the networking events at the Bangkok Founders Meetup, it's hit or miss but you'll find a few sharp people who've been through the visa and hiring headaches already.

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honestly the smartest move i made was joining the thai startup facebook groups before even touching coworking spaces. a lot of the real deal folks post job openings and ask for beta testers there, way more than on linkedin. also if you're serious about the long game, get a thai accountant who's worked with expat founders, they'll save you from the nightmare of sorting out tax residency and the whole 180 day rule thing. i'm up in sathorn, happy to grab a beer at a place like hair of the dog and swap war stories if you want.

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There's a pretty solid crew of founders floating around Ari these days, mostly doing e-commerce and content stuff rather than hardcore tech. I'd say try the Thursday morning coffee meetups at One Ari or just camp out at a place like Casa Lapin for a week, you'll end up overhearing enough pitch talk to strike up a conversation. Just don't expect everyone to be super serious, half the people here are doing the digital nomad thing for a year before they burn out.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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