Bootstrapping in Bangkok is the best option
Lots of people are curious about why Bangkok is an awesome city to start bootstrapping a startup like ours (ohmygeorge.com, we are building a candy crush style trading app). Here’s why I think Bangkok is an awesome place to start a business.
//Weather
It’s HOT!! all year long, and it's a nice change when you come from Paris!
//Good value for money
Cost of living
You can easily find a nice condo with a pool / house cleaning service near a train station in the centre of the city for about 400-500$ per month.
— find the best place for you by using this website !
…and data about costs of living in Bangkok here !
(P.S Bangkok is ranked at #1 😘)
Have a comfortable life for about $1200 per month. This figure includes transportation, nice food, housing, memberships to co-working spaces and Bangkok’s nightlife. All of this means more money to bootstrap your business.
Co-working spaces
Bangkok is already full of awesome co-working spaces and I’m sure there are more to come!
You can easily find one around the city centre and most of them offer day passes and/or monthly passes.
Coffeeshops
If you prefer to sit in nice cafés with sandwiches and croissants within reach, Bangkok will certainly be your cup of tea (or coffee).
Most of them offer free wifi and some are open 24/7.
Shopping
Bangkok boasts some of the best shopping experiences in Southeast Asia with plenty of extravagant shopping malls and buzzing marketplaces, and furthermore, new places are opening every other day.
You certainly won’t be out of options if you want to go shopping!
Nightlife
The same is true for Bangkok’s nightlife. New venues seem to pop out of nowhere ! Trust me, you won't even have time to visit all the rooftop bars Bangkok has to offer.
There are too many places to cover so here are some places to go out for a couple of after-work drinks or feel free to contact me if you want more information about my favorite places to hang out.
//Thai culture
People
Thai people are a really friendly bunch! They’re used to foreigners and will accept them with open arms.
Food
Thai food is one of the world's favourite cuisine! After more than one year here I’m still getting surprised by new dishes and tastes! You will find all kinds of food for a range of prices, whether it be street food or more sophisticated restaurants.
Religion
Religion is really important here, so it’s a must to take it into consideration if you are looking to move to Bangkok or anywhere in Thailand. Buddhism is the main religion, which is followed by 93.6% of the population.
//SEA ecosystem
Localisation
Thailand is surrounded by many strategic emerging markets!
Singapore / HongKong / China / Japan / Korea, are all destinations reachable in short flying distance!
Flying in and out from Bangkok is really easy and cheap as well.
Startup/Tech scene
The startup ecosystem in Thailand is an interesting one, as it’s still not as mature as other Asian countries like Singapore, but you can still find some successful exits and stories. If you are interested in some data and names, I recommend you to search here.
There also a lot of tech events taking place all year long so you can connect with the tech scene via meetup.com or via events organised by co-working spaces you decide to join.
//Awesome locations to visit
Koh Samet
One of the nearer islands is Koh Samet, where it’s only about 2-3 hours drive from Bangkok’s city centre. It’s a perfect destination if you want to go chill for a weekend and without having to go too far away from city life! sweet escape 😘
Similan islands
Moo Koh Similan is one of the best-known island cluster in the Andaman Sea, largely because of the wonders that await beneath the clear blue waters surrounding it. It’s also listed among the 10 most interesting dive sites in the world.
Chiang mai
Chiang Mai is a city in the mountainous terrain in North Thailand and the city dates back to the 1200s. It’s also home to hundreds of elaborate temples, including the 14th-century Wat Phra Singh and 15th-century Wat Chedi Luang adorned with carved serpents from the 15th century.
Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi (pronounced gaan jà ná bù rii) (Thai: กาญจนบุรี) is a city located at the confluence of the rivers Kwai Noi and Kwai Yai and is also the site of where Japanese soldiers built a famous railway across Thailand in WWII.
As you can see, Bangkok (as well as the rest of Thailand) can offer some really unique sceneries to work and relax in and there are places to suit all tastes, whether or not you’re a mountain or a beach person.
Visit this facebook page for unseen traveling destinations in Thailand : https://www.facebook.com/UnseenThailand/.
Oh, have I mentioned I’m bootstrapping OhMyGeorge in Bangkok ? ;)
