A Digital Nomad's Guide to Thong Lo, Bangkok
- Sally Seaton
- Aug 21
- 9 min read
After leaving the UK to live in Bangkok, it took many days of exploring neighbourhoods to find the one where I felt at home. Then I stumbled across Thong Lo — a stylish, hip area in the heart of Sukhumvit where locals and digital nomads head for chic cafes, rooftop bars and the best Japanese food the city has to offer. It provides a sense of culture, with plenty of street food, but it’s also a modern place where young, middle-class Thais choose to hang out.
The area seems to thrive on creating a community with many co-working spots, aesthetic cafes, networking events and community hubs — a digital nomads' haven. Surrounded by the city's tallest skyscrapers, bustling traffic, and spicy aromas, you’ll find the finest coffee, peaceful places to work from and the coolest venues to socialise. Let’s discover bars, cafes, and co-working spaces in Thong Lo.
Best Cafes to Work From in Thong Lo, Bangkok
Finding an aesthetic cafe is a digital nomad essential, but it can often be a challenge to find the perfect one with comfortable seating, convenient plug sockets, free water and of course, a cosy setting. This is one of the reasons why I love Thong Lo, Bangkok’s cafe scene is flourishing, and this specific area has it all. Below are some of my favourite cafes in Thong Lo, providing everything you need to work comfortably.
The Office
They call it The Office, but it’s nothing like the grey cubicles I left behind in the UK. Here, community, creativity, and coffee fuel the day. It has a variety of vendors that offer drinks and food, including healthy juices, coffee, cookies, Thai food, Japanese food and daily classics such as wraps and pasta. By day, you can hang out with friends or focus on your work, and by night, it transforms into a vibrant bar and restaurant with live music. They also provide board games, so after a hard day's work, you can have fun with friends or socialise with others.
The indoor and outdoor settings are minimal and modern with a neutral colour palette and wooden tables, making it the perfect spot for your Instagram story. The outdoor area is my favourite, imagine day beds and draped curtains, almost like you’re at a Bali beach club but in the bustling city.
The Coffee Club
One of the very first Thong Lo cafes I fell in love with, The Coffee Club originated from Australia and is one of the most popular cafe chains around the world. They welcome digital nomads with relaxing surroundings, comfortable chairs, a tranquil atmosphere and most of all good, healthy food. This modern cafe provides plug sockets at most tables, and you will find plenty of digital nomads and locals working here.
With an extensive and colourful menu, The Coffee Club offers smoothie bowls, breakfasts, local favourites and salads. I recommend the kale chicken salad and matcha — the best salad I have found in Bangkok. Not forgetting their renowned coffee, the unique menu includes espresso orange and coconut and ice mocha overload topped with ice cream — wow.
C.P.S Coffee
With 13 coffee shops in Bangkok, C.P.S Coffee’s flagship store began in the heart of Thong Lo. It’s a simple and cosy cafe with a black and wooden interior and plenty of space for remote working. Some of the best drinks on their menu include truffle milk, drip coffee, matcha espresso and toffee nut coffee.
One of the cafe's most unique aspects is its partnership with The Truffle Bakery. Collaborating with a local pastry brand to create a one-of-a-kind space, one of their cafes features a sweeping croissant-shaped archway and bright white interior, making this one of Bangkok’s most photogenic spots.
Co-working Spots in Thong Lo, Bangkok
Digital nomads flock to Thong Lo for its sense of community and modern amenities. It’s the ideal neighbourhood for those who work remotely, don’t have colleagues or friends to chat to, or just need to leave their condo to spark some creativity. The options are endless when it comes to co-working spaces in Thong Lo. Take a look at some of the best spots below.
The Hive
As I type this, I’m perched in The Hive, working from my laptop with a free glass of water. The city’s skyscrapers and moments of greenery make the perfect backdrop for some seriously productive daydreaming.
This is one of my favourite co-working spaces in Bangkok; it’s peaceful, spacious, and comfortable. With two floors to choose from for co-working and other floors with dedicated working spaces, it includes free water, coffee and tea throughout the day. It also has a cafe with a variety of food options on the top floor, and a rooftop garden so you can enjoy the beautiful views of Bangkok.
Open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday, they offer free trial days every Tuesday so you can try before you buy. It costs 4,000THB (£92) per month to hot desk and use the facilities, or you can choose daily passes if you want to try out different places too.
The Commons
With an aim to bring people together and build wholesome, meaningful communities in Bangkok, The Commons is a combination of a mall, community space and food court.
It's a space to inspire you and support you in pursuing your passion while not forgetting to play and spend quality time with those who matter. It’s a healthy balance of eating well, indulging mindfully, caring for your body and staying curious.
It has four different levels of community space, starting with the market where you’ll find a variety of food and drinks, such as northeastern Thai dishes, freshly made churros and high-grade matcha.
Head upstairs to the village, where you can find more food and bars with seating areas to work remotely. Beyond this, they have a hair salon and shopping from local brands.
The top yard allows you to work in comfort while enjoying the views of the garden. There is also an opportunity to host a workshop or event at The Commons Kitchen and Bar.
Paper Plane Project
A hip co-working space in Thong Lo, Paper Plane Project is a common ground for the creative minds where style, community and culture come together. It has a selection of bars and restaurants for people to gather, feel inspired and connect meaningfully.
Located on the 40th floor of T-One Building, it’s open from Monday to Sunday, 9am - 1am, so whether you’re an early bird or night owl, you can work whatever day or time suits you.
As well as a co-working space, it’s also great for socialising and catching up with friends. Enjoy a few hours of work here, then meet friends for a cocktail and live music. Working remotely here won’t cost you a thing, and the space feels more like a chic bar that you might actually forget you’re working. The fine dining menu includes appetisers, small bites, plant-based food and lots of pizza!
Bars in Thong Lo, Bangkok
Thong Lo has one of Bangkok's best nightlife scenes, from rooftop bars to beer houses, you’ll find cool spots filled with locals, tourists and expats. You can enjoy a lively nightclub or pair it back with a sophisticated cocktail bar.
Tichuca Rooftop Bar
Located in Thong Lo’s T-One Building, Tichuca is Bangkok’s rooftop playground. Think tropical vibes, a DJ spinning the beats, and a giant colour-changing jellyfish hovering above that sets the scene of a vibrant and fun night out in Bangkok. Open daily from 5pm until late, it brings good vibes for a sophisticated night and it’s a great location to watch the sunset over the city.
The Iron Fairies
Step inside one of Bangkok’s most unique bars and prepare to get lost in the magic. The Iron Fairies stretches across four floors and it switches up its entertainment theme every month. Think cabaret, magicians, and live music, all sprinkled with fairy dust and set against a backdrop of disco balls, chandeliers, and candlelight. They have an in-house band that play music every night as well as DJ sets that cover music from all around the world. The enchanting jazz bar is antique-style with dark lighting and wooden decor that allow you to feel like you've entered an underground fairytale.
Rabbit Hole
Rabbit Hole is giving chic, cosmopolitan New York City vibes. This glamorous spot is ideal for date nights, cocktails with friends, or even a solo date. One of Thong Lo’s high-end cocktail bars, expect dark decor, luxury gold touches, exposed brick walls, velvet seating and high-rise stools sat across the bar area.
Their new cocktail menu is inspired by a crossword, featuring 16 cocktails, each taking influence from cities around the globe. From the street tacos of Mexico City to the buttery pastries of the City of Lights. An interactive and unique experience, each cocktail comes with a clue so you can solve its name from the crossword challenge on the menu. It’s a delicious way to experience the world, all while sitting in the heart of Bangkok.
Restaurants in Thong Lo, Bangkok
Bangkok has one of the best food scenes in the world, and many restaurants in Thong Lo contribute to this delicious, vibrant cuisine. With a mix of cuisines, from Greek and Moroccan to Thai, Japanese and Burmese, each restaurant has its own individual style and brings something unique to the neighbourhood. There are restaurants to suit all vibes, tastes and budgets.
Ragoon Tea House
Located around the corner from my Thong Lo condo, I was first drawn to Ragoon Tea House on my way to the BTS station. Tucked between sizzling street food stalls and a tangle of spaghetti-like electricity wires, I found a modern Burmese restaurant glowing with neon lights and funky graphic design.
I immediately researched the menu, which made my mouth water. The sound of their bacon and cheese samosa and their signature dish, Burmese Biryani that comes in an earthen clay pot, made especially in a natural clay pot just outside of Yangon.
The award-winning restaurant has received recognition as the World’s Best Tea House by CNN, and is part of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. With an overwhelming menu and so many choices, it’s a place for sharing good food with loved ones.
Nobu
The world-famous Nobu is here in Thong Lo. This restaurant is the highest and largest Nobu restaurant, nestled on the top three floors of The Empire. You can enjoy world-renowned Japanese cuisine with Peruvian influences, accompanied by beautiful 360-degree views of Bangkok's skyline.
Here, they’re famous for their exclusive Sunday brunch serving Food, Prosecco, Wines, Draught Beer and Non-Alcoholic Beverages for 2,990THB (£68) per guest. The menu offers a wide range of Japanese food, including omakase, wagyu, sashimi and of course a sushi selection.
Bamee Kon Sae Lee
This is one of Thong Lo’s best street food restaurants, situated on the side of Sukhumvit road just below Thong Lo BTS station, you’ll find Bamee Kon Sae Lee. Renowned for its egg noodles and crispy pork belly, it’s a place loved by locals. It’s one of the most famous places in Bangkok to get a delicious bowl of egg noodles, wonton soup, and chinese style fried rice.
Bamee Kon Sae Lee has been in Thong Lo since 1956 and they specialise in freshly homemade egg noodles, known as “Bamee” in Thai. You can make up your own bowl of Bamee or select the options from the menu. Perched upon a little red stool in this traditional restaurant, I tried duck and crispy pork with dried egg noodles served with a fresh lemon grass juice, which cost me 90THB (£2.20) — so cheap!
Cost of Living in Thong Lo
Although Bangkok is the capital of Thailand, and it’s the most expensive city in the country, it’s still relatively cheap and gives you a better lifestyle than the UK. Below is a list of comparisons of the UK Vs Bangkok cost of living, and this is from the North East of England, where everything is much cheaper than London.
Costs | UK | Bangkok |
Eating out (Western food) | £25 | £10 |
Cocktails | £10 | £8-10 |
Rent | £800 | £370 |
Electricity bills | £60 | £20 |
Monthly co-working space | £120 | £92 |
Cafe drinks | £6 | £3 |
House cleaning service | £20 | £6 |
Thong Lo is a neighbourhood that somehow balances the best of both worlds: a buzzing, modern city energy with calm, creative spaces perfect for digital nomads. From cosy cafes to stylish co-working hubs, rooftop bars, and an easy-going nightlife, it’s a place that encourages you to work, play, and connect.
For anyone considering life as a digital nomad in Bangkok, Thong Lo offers not just convenience and comfort but a sense of community and belonging. Whether you’re hunting for the perfect matcha latte, a productive work spot, or a sophisticated cocktail at sunset, this stylish corner of Sukhumvit has it all — and maybe, like me, it’ll be the place where you feel at home too.
So pack your laptop, follow the aroma of street food, and let Thong Lo show you what it means to live, work, and explore like a true digital nomad in Bangkok.
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