Introducing the four latest additions to Bangkok’s growing independent-working scene.

See a full list of Bangkok’s best co-working spaces

Ma:D

Opened mid-May, the space is separated into an active zone and a quiet zone, while providing services such as meeting rooms, private offices, event organization and even shower rooms. The price starts at B265 per day and B4,650 per month with 20 percent discounts for social entrepreneurs, which Ma:D particularly hopes to attract. Ma:D is also joining a co-working space alliance with two other spaces, Hubba and Pah Space, so that members at one space could visit the other spaces under one membership contract. It’s also planning on being a model of sustainable energy use, as well as cultivating healthy habits to avoid office syndrome among its customers. See our interview with Ma:D’s founder below.
 
42/3, Soi Sukhumvit 63, Ekkamai Soi 4, Open 9.00am-9.00pm, 085-917-7795, www.facebook.com/madeehub  

Casa Lapin x 26

The fourth branch of the hip café Casa Lapin is much more than a coffee shop. Far from its humble beginnings as a counter-top in Thonglor, Casa’s new spot on Sukhumvit Soi 26 features a hostel, co-working space and even a flower shop. The café itself opened earlier in May, and now the co-working space and hostel side of things, dubbed Oneday: Pause and Forward, is ready for business. Pause will offer dorm-style accommodation priced at B650-B1,900, while Forward is a co-working space that costs B350 per day and offers four types of work spaces: individual desk, group work, coffee shop style and meeting room for 12-20 people.  
 
Sukhumvit Soi 26. Open daily 7:30am-10pm. BTS Phrom Phrong.

The Hive Bangkok

Located in Sukhumvit Soi 49, just opposite Grease, The Hive Bangkok is the first international branch of this co-working space brand that already has three addresses in Hong Kong. On top of a communal space, it has meeting rooms, post boxes and storage units. The wood-dominated loft design has the requisite coffee shop chic with lounge seats and access to a rooftop garden and bar. Prices start from B250 for a day-pass trial, while you can also rent it out for B3,200/month for 10 full days (and one-hour of meeting room use) or B5,500 for 20 days (and two hours of meeting room use). Teams can opt for the B6,500 per person per month plan, with a private office (min 3 people) and three-hours of meeting room use. Head up to the roof to grab a drink after work or catch the films screened every last Saturday of the month. 
 
46/9 Sukhumvit Soi 49 (opposite Grease). 02-662-6062. www.facebook.com/TheHiveBangkok   

Start Up House Asia

Opened earlier this year and located just 10 minutes walk from MRT Petchburi, Start Up House Asia is another new spot aimed at servicing the needs of independent entrepreneurs. The twist is that it’s actually a share-house (hostel-style) with a co-working space (currently only open to residents). Offering stays from two weeks to two months, it also provides facilities for co-working purposes—eight seats, free WiFi and an events room. The price starts from B8,000 per bed per month (rates of less than monthly are negotiable), and includes access to the co-working space.    
 
Baan Chicha Castle 199/17, Sukhumvit soi 31. 099-497-2752. startuphouse.asia

Q&A

Preekamol Chataranijakorn, founder of Ma:D  
 
What is the concept behind Ma:D?
The concept is social enterprise, which means our ultimate business goal is to profit society and, at the same time, for us to gain a reasonable amount of profit. By doing this, we insist and emphasize on the sustainability of our business, which is different from NPOs [non-profit organizations] since they don’t usually generate enough money [to be self-reliant]. The signature of Ma:D is that we provide a like-minded community for people who want the same things. Our staff create an atmosphere where interacting with strangers isn’t awkward. We sit down and talk to our customers in order to understand them inside out. By doing this we are also able to find out if what they are doing can actually create an impact on the society. This is how we got the name Ma:D: in Thai, it means you are with good intentions while in English, it can be read as “mad” which is normally how the people who want to change the world are thought of. 
 
How is the feedback?   
At first, a lot of people were doubtful as to whether this is going to work because it is a very new kind of business, but I believed in it. Events actually help a lot in spreading the idea of social innovation as they allow people who think alike to meet and connect as well as open up to new ideas. 
 
What’s next?
We are now working on coming together with two other spaces: Hubba and Pah Space. Each space answers the needs of different kinds of people and, by uniting the three together, we allow people from different business sectors to meet and to be introduced to new ideas. We are also planning on utilizing sustainable energy which we hope to be a model for other people. We believe people who live in this neighborhood have a lot of purchasing power and are ready to adapt to new lifestyle. Even a small change in our habits can make a difference.