I only use coworking spaces ad hoc at the moment, but there are a good few reasons they have worked for me in the past if I need a full work day in front of the screen: - you can leave your stuff at your desk and go out for a walk, food, coffee, etc. so you have the desk for the day - there are always opportunities for interaction - you don't have to order coffee or food every couple of hours or less like you would (or should!) in a cafe - chairs and desks are usually designed for better posture than in a cafe - using one regularly means you'll make "work friends". Some of my best friends in Chiang Mai are ones I've met in coworking spaces - you can connect with other people who might become clients or refer you As Brett said, there are some cafes or spaces in Chiang Mai that are free to sit in but I'd only do it for an hour or two for every coffee I might buy - though I only drink one or two a day! In fact, I'm in one now. I like to have some background stuff going on, so coworking spaces and cafes work better for me than working from home. I use a cafe if I just need somewhere for a couple of hours, but longer I'm likely to use a cowork or home. There is a lot of hate toward coworking spaces, which baffles me. Apart from anything else, there are different vibes and focusses in different ones (Chiang Mai is a great example of this) so a mean sample of one that you didn't even use is a sweeping statement. Just don't go to one if it's not for you. They can work for a lot of people.

Ran bars and restaurants for many years, got into e-commerce and copywriting. That was when I realised I could do that from anywhere. So I did!

Ha, yes! I have my prefered hotels and airbnbs in the three main cities that I know look at least a bit like the pics. Thailand is a little tricky because of the defamation laws here - hardly anyone will write a bad review so nearly every cafe, restaurant, store, hotel etc. has at least 4 stars. And take it from me, a lot of them aren't deserved, at least from what might be a western standards point of view.

Hi John, where in Thailand are you? I'm a bit further behind in my Thailand life, but resonate with the things you enjoy most here. I have recently bought a big bike though and whilst an automatic is handy around the town, the country roads are really perfect for a proper bike!