Working remotely from Phangan — the good, the bad, and the wifi

I moved here thinking I'd work from a hammock with a laptop, coconut in hand. Reality is I work from a coworking desk in Thong Sala most days, and honestly it's better than the hammock fantasy — more reliable internet and fewer sunburnt forearms.

The good

Internet is genuinely fine for 90% of what I do — video calls, file transfers, the usual. Centerpoint Coworking has been solid for me: fast fibre, AC, people around but not distracting. Srithanu has a whole ecosystem of cafes where working on a laptop is completely normal, not something you feel awkward about.

The bad

Power cuts. Not constant, but they happen — more in rainy season (May–November) than dry season. If you've got a client call that absolutely cannot drop, don't rely on your apartment's wifi alone; a coworking space with backup power or a mobile hotspot as backup is not optional, it's basic risk management.

Time zones are the other thing nobody mentions — Thailand is far enough from US/EU hours that "normal" working hours here can mean very early or very late calls depending on who you work with. Plan your schedule around that before you commit to a long stay.

Where people actually work

• Centerpoint Coworking (Thong Sala) — my go-to for anything call-heavy
• Secret Place — beachfront, more relaxed, good for solo deep-work days
• Srithanu cafes — fine for emails and lighter work, less reliable for back-to-back video calls since wifi gets shared across a full room

Visa reality

Most remote workers here are technically on tourist visas doing visa runs, though Thailand does have longer-term options (LTR, Destination Thailand Visa) if you meet the requirements — worth reading our visa guide before you assume anything.

Would I recommend it? Yes, with the caveat that you need to actually build in backups — for power, for internet, for your own sanity when the island pace clashes with a deadline. For the full rundown of spaces and costs, see our coworking guide.