Thailand named world’s No. 3 digital nomad haven, fourth for retirees
Thailand also ranks fourth for retirees in Rumavi’s 2026 index, with the government seeking more spending from foreigners who stay longer
- Rumavi’s 2026 index ranks Thailand third worldwide for digital nomads and fourth for retirees.
- Thailand places second among Southeast Asian nations in both categories, behind Malaysia.
- Thailand’s strongest scores include affordability, currency and banking, and digital infrastructure.
- Deputy government spokeswoman Lalida Persvivatana said that the government aimed to encourage longer stays and greater spending.
Thailand ranks third worldwide for digital nomads and fourth for retirees in the Rumavi Global Relocation Index 2026, which assesses 192 countries and territories. Deputy government spokeswoman Lalida Persvivatana said on September 12, 2026 that the government wanted to turn the results into greater spending by foreigners staying in Thailand for longer.
Lalida cited coverage by Vietnam’s VnExpress International and Malaysia’s The Star, saying the findings highlighted Thailand’s potential as a place to live and work as well as a destination for shorter holidays.
Thailand places second in Southeast Asia in both categories
Thailand ranks behind Malaysia and Portugal for digital nomads, while Malaysia, Panama and Portugal lead the retirement category. Thailand’s results are:
- Digital nomads: third globally, with a score of 75.4 in Rumavi’s digital nomad ranking.
- Retirees: fourth globally, with a score of 74.3 in Rumavi’s retirement ranking.
- Regional standing: second among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries in both categories.
Thailand’s affordability score leads its strengths
Thailand’s strongest results include affordability, currency and banking, and digital infrastructure. The index also gives Thailand 78 points each for healthcare quality and the cost of accessing healthcare.
Thailand’s scores in the areas highlighted by the government are:
- Affordability: 96.9.
- Currency and banking: 91.8.
- Digital infrastructure: 89.4.
- Healthcare quality and healthcare access cost: 78 each.
The scores appear in Rumavi’s Thailand country assessment, which also identifies areas where the country performs less strongly.
Lalida links longer stays to income throughout the year
Lalida said digital nomads and retirees represented an important economic opportunity because of their purchasing power. Encouraging longer stays would help distribute income to businesses and communities through accommodation, food, transport and healthcare spending throughout the year.
“The goal is not simply to make people around the world want to visit Thailand, but to make people with the means to do so want to stay longer. Ranking third worldwide for digital nomads and fourth for retirees is therefore an opportunity Thailand must turn into income and economic value,” Lalida said.
Lalida said the government intended to build on the rankings by giving greater weight to spending per person and length of stay, rather than visitor numbers alone. The Nation has also reported on Thailand’s broader shift towards tourism value over visitor volume.
The government’s approach covers two groups:
- Digital nomads: accelerate improvements to digital infrastructure and create conditions that support remote working and longer stays.
- Retirees: develop the wellness economy, care for older people and services that generate greater economic value.
Thailand also faces weaknesses in English-language accessibility, business opportunities and the rule of law, according to Rumavi’s assessment. Addressing those shortcomings alongside improvements to infrastructure and services would be important to the government’s ambition to make Thailand an attractive place to visit, live, work and invest.
