“That’s why I chose Bangkok!”

Elisa Serafini tells us why she decided to move to the capital of Thailand

Entrepreneur, journalist and investor. But also a political activist, podcaster, and corporate consultant on communication and public affairs issues. Elisa Serafini has developed a career path that interestingly interprets the future of work we so often talk about. And, not surprisingly, Phyd has collaborated with Elisa before. Today we meet with her again to elaborate on a choice that, in some ways, we might call surprising: moving to Thailand, to Bangkok.

How come Thailand? When we think of going abroad for work, we are inclined to look to North America, Australia, China or, for the past few years, the United Arab Emirates. You, on the other hand, chose Thailand.

When I was in the School of Economics, my prof Rodolfo Helg, an Oxford-educated economist, invited the whole class to consider Asia as a university exchange destination. Instead, I chose, for the second time in five years, the United States. I appreciated the United States for the training it gave me but I believe the future lies in the East. Economic, cultural, technological, geopolitical and demographic factors are attracting capital and people to Southeast Asian and Far Eastern countries. I chose to be where the future is built and where every day is lived with optimism. In addition, I have always loved Thailand and Buddhist culture, which is oriented toward inclusion and harmony. It is a safe country with excellent health care, infrastructure, technology and where the English language is widely known. It is a region of the world where women and LGBTQ+ people are respected and loved and where there is freedom of expression. We cannot say the same about other parts of the world. Finally, the territorial taxation system is very attractive to people like me who do business with foreign entities.

Who would you recommend Thailand to? Or rather, in your opinion, can Thailand be a preferred destination for a specific target group of professionals?

Thailand is the perfect place for employees who are looking for an experience in life as well as work, and who put quality of life and savings as priorities. Salaries for foreign managers are higher than those in Milan, but the cost of living is a third. A junior developer here gets over 3,000 euros net per month, and can pay for his two-room apartment with a pool 400 euros per month. A store manager comes to 6,000 euros per month net, and a multinational area manager with 10 years of experience easily exceeds 10,000 euros net.
Low costs are ensured by the very large competition in real estate and services, the low tax wedge, and immigration restrictions, which, unlike Singapore or Hong Kong, have partly reduced foreign investment to date to avoid inflationary or housing crises.
Freelancers working with foreign countries can enjoy territorial taxation, and thus minimize their tax burden. Hong Kong and Singapore appear even more attractive for the startup system because of the ease. It is not suitable, however, for those who are not flexible or open to the world.

Tensions between China and Taiwan are rising. There is much talk about the repercussions that these tensions will have in the relationship between China and the U.S. and, by extension, in the relationship with Europe. How is Southeast Asia metabolizing this crisis?

Southeast Asia is composed of very different countries with different histories of colonization and alliances. Thailand has never been colonized and is a neutral country, friendly to the United States but historically linked to China. It is currently holding an intermediate position, but is not hosting U.S. bases and does not intend to do so. The relationship with China, even from a cultural and historical point of view, is too strong.

Three pieces of advice you would give to people who want to move to Bangkok.

Move in any time of the year except March and April, which are the hottest months and not suitable for a “first impression,” choose the condominium carefully so as to enjoy the condominium facilities that can only be found in Thailand (breathtaking swimming pools, gyms, etc.), participate in events and happenings (e.g., language exchanges, seminars on technology and AI, etc.) organized by Thais and expats through apps such as MeetUp and social groups. I would give a fourth: study immigration scenarios well; there are visas such as Elite Visa that allow freelancers to move here by paying an upfront amount, which replaces the employee or entrepreneur visa.

Millennials have long been fascinated by the American dream. Does Gen Z in your view have any geographical “myths”? And if so, what might it be?

Gen Z is becoming very passionate about Korea-it is a very important paradigm shift that Millennials have never experienced. Thailand is an excellent entry level for Asia, unlike Korea it is easier to relocate for cost and more widely spoken English language. It is an overall poorer country, though.

What is your typical day in Bangkok? What do you deal with?

I wake up very early, even before 6 a.m., take a walk in the neighborhood, meet squirrels and birds. Then I write articles, texts and books for my clients until about 12 noon. I deal with my startup and investments in the early afternoon. The late afternoon is devoted to calls with Italy or gym and pool. In the evening I go out most of the time. For almost 7 months I have hardly ever cooked, as it is more convenient to order or eat out. Thailand is the kingdom of food, everyone knows that. On weekends I take trips out of town, or explore city neighborhoods for possible investments. I bought an apartment as an investment and plan new investments in this area. For me, human capital, technology and infrastructure represent signs of future growth. And I chose to invest in it.

Working abroad, work according to expats!

More and more Italians, particularly those under 35, are choosing to move abroad. There are those who are on the hunt for new opportunities and those who, more simply, thanks to remote working, decide to go and live (and work) in a new country. With “Working Abroad, Work According to Expats!” Phyd tries to chronicle this ever-evolving community to share tips, ideas and information that can come in handy for everyone.