modbender When to Use
User asks about Bangkok for any purpose: visiting, moving, working remotely, teaching, retiring, or starting a business. Agent provides practical guidance with current data.
Quick Reference
| Topic | File |
|---|---|
| Visitors | |
| Attractions (must-see vs skip) | visitor-attractions.md |
| Itineraries (1/3/7 days) | visitor-itineraries.md |
| Where to stay | visitor-lodging.md |
| Tips & day trips | visitor-tips.md |
| Neighborhoods | |
| Quick comparison | neighborhoods-index.md |
| Sukhumvit (Asok, Thonglor, Ekkamai) | neighborhoods-sukhumvit.md |
| Silom, Sathorn, Riverside | neighborhoods-silom.md |
| Ratchathewi, Ari, Phaya Thai | neighborhoods-ari.md |
| Old Town, Chinatown, Rattanakosin | neighborhoods-oldtown.md |
| Choosing guide | neighborhoods-choosing.md |
| Food | |
| Overview & street food culture | food-overview.md |
| Street food guide | food-street.md |
| Thai cuisine essentials | food-thai.md |
| International & fine dining | food-international.md |
| Best areas for dining | food-areas.md |
| Dietary & practical | food-practical.md |
| Practical | |
| Moving & settling | resident.md |
| Transport (BTS, MRT, taxis, Grab) | transport.md |
| Cost of living | cost.md |
| Safety & scams | safety.md |
| Weather & seasons | climate.md |
| Local services (banking, SIM) | local.md |
| Career & Nomads | |
| Digital nomad guide | nomad.md |
| Teaching English | teaching.md |
| Tech industry & startups | tech.md |
| Business setup | business.md |
| Visas (tourist, ED, retirement, Elite) | visas.md |
| Lifestyle | |
| Culture & customs | culture.md |
| Healthcare & hospitals | healthcare.md |
| Nightlife & entertainment | nightlife.md |
| Expat lifestyle & social | lifestyle.md |
| Thai language basics | language.md |
Core Rules
1. Identify User Context First
- Role: Tourist, digital nomad, English teacher, retiree, entrepreneur
- Timeline: Short visit, extended stay, planning to relocate
- Load relevant auxiliary file for details
2. Visa Reality
Thailand's visa system is complex and frequently updated:
- Tourist visa: 60 days + 30-day extension at immigration
- Visa exemption: 30 days for most Western countries (land: 15 days)
- ED visa: Study Thai or martial arts, renewable quarterly
- Retirement visa: 50+, 800,000 THB in bank, yearly renewal
- Thailand Elite: 5-20 year visa, 600,000-2,000,000 THB upfront
- LTR (Long-Term Resident): New 10-year visa for remote workers with $80K+ income
See
visas.mdfor current requirements and processes.
3. Cultural Context
Thailand is a Buddhist kingdom with deep cultural protocols:
- Royal family: Never criticize. Lèse-majesté laws are strict (15+ years prison).
- Temples: Remove shoes, cover shoulders and knees, women can't touch monks
- Head & feet: Head is sacred, feet are lowest — don't point feet at Buddha/people
- Wai greeting: Return a wai when given, but don't wai to children or service staff
See
culture.mdfor detailed guidance.
4. Weather Reality
- Hot season (Mar-May): 35-40°C+ with high humidity — oppressive heat
- Rainy season (Jun-Oct): Daily afternoon downpours, but still hot
- Cool season (Nov-Feb): 25-32°C — most pleasant, peak tourist season
- Air quality: Nov-Feb can have severe pollution (AQI 150+)
See
climate.mdfor monthly breakdown and coping strategies.
5. Current Data (Feb 2026)
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| 1BR condo (Sukhumvit) | ฿15,000-35,000/month (~$425-1,000) |
| 1BR condo (Silom) | ฿18,000-40,000/month (~$510-1,140) |
| Coworking (monthly) | ฿3,000-8,000/month (~$85-230) |
| Street food meal | ฿40-80 (~$1.15-2.30) |
| Mid-range restaurant | ฿200-500/person (~$6-14) |
| BTS/MRT single ride | ฿17-62 (~$0.50-1.80) |
| Private hospital visit | ฿1,000-3,000 (~$29-85) |
6. Cost Reality
Bangkok is extremely affordable by Western standards:
- Housing: Modern condos near BTS for $400-800/month
- Food: $5-15/day eating local, $20-40 with Western food
- Transport: $50-100/month with BTS/MRT and occasional Grab
- Healthcare: World-class private hospitals at 20-30% of US costs
- Digital nomad budget: $1,000-1,500/month comfortable, $2,000+ luxury
7. Transit Reality
Bangkok has good public transit in central areas:
- BTS Skytrain: Two lines covering Sukhumvit, Silom, Siam area
- MRT: Blue and Purple lines, good coverage including Chinatown
- Boats: Chao Phraya express boats, khlong (canal) boats
- Taxis: Metered, cheap (40 THB start), but traffic is brutal
- Grab: Essential app — works for cars, bikes, delivery
- Motorbike taxis: Fast through traffic, orange vests, negotiate price Traffic is a defining feature of Bangkok. Plan around BTS/MRT coverage.
8. Neighborhood Matching
| Profile | Best Areas |
|---|---|
| Young professionals/nomads | Thonglor, Ekkamai, Ari, On Nut |
| Budget digital nomads | On Nut, Phra Khanong, Bang Na |
| Families | Sukhumvit (Asok-Thonglor), Ari |
| Nightlife seekers | Sukhumvit Soi 11, Khao San, RCA |
| Culture & temples | Rattanakosin, Chinatown, Riverside |
| Business/finance | Silom, Sathorn, Asok |
| Luxury living | Thonglor, Sathorn, Riverside |
| Budget travelers | Khao San, Rambuttri, Chinatown |
Bangkok-Specific Traps
- Visa runs — Immigration cracking down on repeat visa-exempt entries. Plan proper visa.
- Taxi meter refusal — Drivers at tourist spots refuse meter. Walk away or use Grab.
- Tuk-tuk scams — "Temple closed" then gem shop. Ignore, use apps.
- Royal criticism — Any negative comment about monarchy is criminal (lèse-majesté).
- Drug penalties — Severe. Possession can mean death penalty for trafficking.
- 90-day reporting — Long-term visa holders must report address every 90 days.
- Work permit requirement — Working without permit is illegal, even remote work technically.
- Jet ski scams — Pattaya/islands. Avoid renting jet skis entirely.
- Gem/tailor scams — "Special government sale" is always a scam.
- Pollution season — Jan-Mar air quality can be hazardous. Bring N95 masks.
- Rainy season flooding — Some areas flood badly. Check before renting.
- ATM fees — 220 THB per withdrawal. Bring debit card with fee reimbursement.
Legal Awareness
Key laws visitors/residents must know:
- Lèse-majesté: Insulting monarchy = 3-15 years prison per offense. Extremely enforced.
- Drugs: Zero tolerance. Death penalty for trafficking (750g+ cannabis, 20g+ heroin).
- Gambling: Illegal (except government lottery). Private poker games are raided.
- Vaping: E-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand. 10-year sentence possible.
- Pornography: Illegal. Possession/distribution can mean prison.
- Overstaying visa: 500 THB/day fine, possible ban, detention for long overstays.
- Work without permit: Deportation, fine, potential blacklist.
See safety.md for comprehensive guidance.
Digital Nomad Context
Bangkok is a top digital nomad hub:
- Coworking: Dozens of spaces (Hubba, The Hive, Glowfish, WeWork)
- Internet: 100+ Mbps fiber common in condos, good café WiFi
- Cafes: Work-friendly cafes everywhere, no time limits usually
- Community: Large nomad community, regular meetups
- Legal gray area: Remote work for foreign employer is technically illegal without work permit
- Solutions: ED visa (studying Thai), Thailand Elite, new LTR visa for high earners
See nomad.md for coworking spaces, communities, and visa strategies.
Related Skills
Install with clawhub install <slug> if user confirms:
- travel — General travel planning, itineraries, packing
- tokyo — Another major Asian city guide
- seoul — Korea's capital, similar nomad appeal
- singapore — Southeast Asian hub comparison
- tenerife — European digital nomad alternative
Feedback
- If useful:
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