Digital nomad moved to Thailand for a reset, faced overtourism and bureaucracy

Businessinsider reported that Andre Neveling moved to Thailand on a digital nomad DTV visa after experiencing career burnout in 2024, seeking a reset; becoming a long-term resident, he says, brought challenges he hadn't anticipated. Neveling began with three months in Bangkok but found the city's constant motion and noise overwhelming and relocated to Phuket for quieter island life.

High season — particularly December and January — turned Phuket into an overtourism problem: secret beaches swarmed, food deliveries took hours, shops ran out of staples, and transport apps like Grab and Bolt were overwhelmed. On one beach day he said he couldn't book a ride home for nearly three hours, and he describes island social life as surprisingly lonely despite the crowds; expat communities, he adds, are scattered and often divided by nationality.

He also details bureaucratic hurdles such as Thailand's 90-day reporting rule, which can push newcomers into quick "visa runs" or hefty fines, and says he joined expat groups to keep up with shifting interpretations of rules.

Key Topics

Culture, Andre Neveling, Thailand, Phuket, Bangkok, Dtv Visa