Chiang Mai, the ancient city embraced by emerald mountains, was once just a paradise for backpackers and leisure travelers. However, after waves of digital nomads' in-depth investigations, this city that has long topped the list of digital nomad-friendly destinations is slowly attracting Web3 digital nomads. A silent transformation is quietly happening, with increasingly frequent Web3 activities, USDT deposits visible on food delivery apps, and cryptocurrency exchange points on the roadside... This small northern Thai city has seemingly become one of the gathering places for East Asian Web3 practitioners.
However, since 2025, with growing safety concerns after the kidnapping of Chinese actors in Thailand, the Myanma-Thai earthquake, and the decrease in large-scale Web3 events, some in the industry believe that "there are no Web3 people left in Chiang Mai"! What is the actual situation? How has Chiang Mai's Web3 ecosystem developed? Does it still attract Web3 professionals? What stories are hidden here? And can Chiang Mai's experience be replicated elsewhere?
With these questions, I had in-depth conversations with two long-term Web3 practitioners in Chiang Mai to understand their stories and Chiang Mai's story. Therefore, this article does not focus on famous Web3 figures or recount stories of project founders who raised millions of dollars, nor does it trace technological breakthroughs that changed industry landscapes. Instead, we turn our gaze to ordinary practitioners, those ordinary people reshaping their lives with Web3 concepts. Perhaps their stories are closer to reality and more universally inspiring.
Pursuing My PhD in Chiang Mai, BUIDL Web3 My Way
When I met the first interviewee, Jason, the hot season in Chiang Mai had already begun. The sunlight was baking the streets, but when I stepped into Chiang Mai University Library, I was greeted by a blast of air conditioning. When we met, I noticed he was wearing long sleeves and long pants, seemingly isolated from the outside world's season. "The library's air conditioning is too strong, I'm used to it," he laughed, "Besides, long clothes also protect from sunlight."
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When the conversation delves into his focused research direction, Jason's expression gradually becomes concentrated, and his language becomes meticulous and profound. He is not discussing simple technical specifications, but exploring the fundamental issues of social allocation mechanisms, even talking about the collaborative mode of fungal networks, and thinking about the deep connection between money and life values. "Modern society's definition of 'value' is too narrow, with everything quantified into money. But human creativity, willingness to cooperate, and intrinsic motivation are far more complex. We need more diverse 'ledgers' to record and reward various forms of contribution. These seemingly unrelated fields actually point to the core reason for Web3's existence."
"I firmly believe Web3 represents the future humans want," his voice calm yet full of conviction, "Perhaps my personal power is limited, but taking a small step forward is worthwhile." He not only stays in theoretical exploration but also puts ideas into practice by participating in various hackathons. "When theories are too macro, it's easy to get lost in concepts. My method is to break down a grand theory into different small modules, then test, modify, and test again until forming a closed loop."
"Recently, I'm testing a 'Play to B to earn' game mechanism," his eyes sparkling with an experimenter's excitement, "I've already got preliminary results." He says feeling able to research his most interesting topics is a great happiness, "For me, this is both work and the core part of life." He paused, "In an environment like Chiang Mai University, without too many social distractions, thinking becomes purer."
When Jason talks about organizing blockchain activities in Chiang Mai, he says he occasionally participates in events, but observes that activities mainly focused on token trading attract more participants. His interaction with local Thais is quite limited, and they seem unwilling to spend time on such activities. He sighs lightly, "I applied to establish a blockchain association under the academy, and the approval process took an entire year."
Exchanging Abilities for Accommodation, Web3 Gives Me Life Exploration Options
Qiu Qiu arrived by motorbike, and we met in a shared office space. I was stunned when I saw her - she was actually barefoot, though most indoor spaces in Chiang Mai require removing shoes, directly not wearing shoes is uncommon. Even when we walked outdoors for ten minutes to a nearby hotel, she remained barefoot, which for her was not a norm but a minor matter, free and casual.
This meeting was purely coincidental. I was attracted by her digital nomad life shared on Xiaohongshu and discovered we were already friends after contacting her. Thus, we sat down in a co-working space near the old city.
She had already been in Chiang Mai for about a year, using it as a base to run to Web3 events in various places. What most attracted me was her saying that since entering the Web3 industry, she had never paid rent herself! This made me even more curious about her Web3 experience.
Her Web3 journey began at the Dali Wa Cat Summer in 2022. That year, she was still trapped in a traditional company's cubicle in Shenzhen, living a nine-to-six life, but she knew that wasn't the life she wanted. She was in a deep exploration phase, "To be honest, I was completely uncertain about what to do, considering self-media, big data, Web3, and even applied for a New Zealand working holiday visa, wanting to go abroad and find direction." She said, "I even took leave to attend the 'Wa Cat Summer' in Dali because I didn't know what Web3 was."
[Translation continues in the same manner for the rest of the text]When it comes to community, Qiu Qiu believes it's a love-hate relationship. "I love it because the community gave me a sense of belonging and countless opportunities," her eyes lit up, "The most magical thing about Web3 is that one person can also be a community. By continuously connecting people and creating value, you become a node, a micro-community."
"What I hate is more about being disappointed. Decentralized communities like DAOs sometimes lack efficiency in collaboration, but this taught me something: learning to interact with a community is an art, finding a win-win balance. True community building requires persistent passion and action."
Now, Qiu Qiu is a manager of a digital nomad space, becoming a "liaison" in Chiang Mai's Web3 circle. "To be honest, most Web3 people here are short-term visitors, coming and going," she observed, "but everyone leaves something behind and takes something away."
In Web3, she exchanged her abilities for the most precious thing - freedom of choice.
Summary
This small exploration in Chiang Mai gave me a profound understanding of their stories. Whether it's the scholarly Jason or the practical Qiu Qiu, their starting points and methods differ, but they both found their rhythm and position in this slow-paced city. The balance between freedom and uncertainty is the common theme of these two stories. The digital nomad lifestyle granted them immeasurable freedom, and most crucially, they both possess the most valuable asset - "choice" - able to decide their next step based on inner voices rather than external pressures, actively creating rather than passively accepting.
At the same time, this gave me a clearer understanding of the Web3 ecosystem here. It's not that Chiang Mai lacks "charm" to retain Web3 people; on the contrary, Chiang Mai's greatest appeal is "giving you the freedom to choose"! Overall, Chiang Mai remains an excellent choice for digital nomads in terms of living environment, with low living costs (a specialty coffee under 15 yuan), stable and fast internet, perpetual summer heat, and Thailand's relatively lenient long-term visa policies for foreigners, forming infrastructural advantages. When you enter the shared workspaces hidden in the ancient city's alleys, you'll discover a deeper attraction - an intangible atmosphere interwoven with openness and freedom, coincidentally aligning with Web3's values.
Although some resident friends have gradually chosen to leave, new Web3 practitioners continue to "flow in". This personnel replacement precisely embodies the essence of digital nomad culture: a lifestyle of free flow, migrating according to seasons and personal plans. It's worth noting that this "migration wave" occurs across the entire digital nomad community, not specifically among Web3 practitioners, reflecting the natural evolution of the digital nomad community, rather than a decline in the Web3 industry.
