I finally realized coworking spaces aren't what they used to be after that trip to Chiang Mai

I spent 3 months working out of a coworking spot in Chiang Mai back in 2018, and it was amazing. People actually talked to each other, shared tips on visas and cheap eats, and you'd end up grabbing dinner with someone new every week. Fast forward to last month, I went back to the same place (Punspace, if anyone knows it) and it was totally different. Everyone had their noise-canceling headphones on, staring at their screens like they were in a library. I tried to strike up a convo with the guy next to me and he just gave me a one-word answer before putting his headphones back on. It felt more like a prison for remote workers than a community hub. Has anyone else noticed this shift in coworking culture, or is it just that one spot changing with the times?

3 comments

3 Comments

sarah_patel2522d ago

Nah, I actually like the quiet vibe better now.

eric_knight722d ago

Three weeks ago you were posting nonstop about how the new DJ was "ruining the vibe" and you missed when they actually had energy in here. I checked your history because I remembered you being pretty loud about it. So the sudden 180 feels less like you genuinely prefer quiet and more like you're just trying to be agreeable now that the dust settled. Which hey, fair enough, but own it. Don't pretend you were always on team mellow when you were basically leading the charge against it last month.

stellanelson22d ago

Ugh seriously this is happening everywhere not just coworking spaces. I was at a coffee shop last week and this guy was literally having a full on speakerphone conversation right next to me. Nobody said a word to each other the whole hour. Its like we traded one extreme for another and now everyone's so worried about being bothered they've forgot how to just be around people. The headphones thing is such a wall. Like yeah I get needing to focus sometimes but it feels like we're all in our own little bubbles now. Totally kills the random connections that made those places worth going to in the first place.