Install
openclaw skills install bangkokBangkok
Navigate Bangkok as visitor, resident, digital nomad, expat, or entrepreneur with neighborhoods, transport, costs, visas, and local insights.
Audits
PassWhen 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:
clawhub star bangkok - Stay updated:
clawhub sync