In 2018, Andrew Corona traveled to Bangkok alongside a friend for a month-long getaway. As the vacation neared its end, he realized he wanted to remain in the city.

"I informed my companion that I had no plans to return home, and prolonged my visit by three additional months," Corona, now 30, shared with Business Insider.

He used the extra time to explore Southeast Asia and went back to San Diego determined to make the region his future home.

At that point, moving abroad seemed unrealistic. Remote work was uncommon, and his corporate role offered little flexibility for long trips, Corona noted.

"Two weeks off is often the maximum you can expect," he explained.

By early 2019, Corona left his position to launch his own company. Even so, it took the pandemic's shift toward remote work to make the relocation feel achievable.

Meanwhile, Corona grew tired of San Diego. Issues like homelessness, substance use, and political splits altered his view of the city, prompting him and his then-girlfriend to consider life abroad seriously.

Taking the leap

In early 2024, Corona and his now-fiancée tried out Bangkok by renting an Airbnb for three months.

They started picturing a longer stay in the city yet spent the remainder of 2024 traveling elsewhere, visiting spots like Buenos Aires, Madrid, and Dubai.

"I speak Spanish fluently, so Madrid or Buenos Aires appeared the logical pick on paper," Corona said. "Yet Bangkok felt like home in a way I had not expected."

In January 2025, Corona and his fiancée made Bangkok their permanent base.

They reside in a furnished two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo in Thonglor, an upscale area often called the "Beverly Hills of Bangkok."

Monthly rent runs 80,000 Thai baht, roughly $2,500 - about half what Corona paid for a smaller two-bedroom unit in San Diego.

The Bangkok building includes a rooftop pool, gym, golf simulator, lounges, and parking, plus easy access to a train station.

Some relatives pictured a different scene. One initially assumed the couple would live "in a hut on the beach" instead of a modern urban setting.

Without a rigid budget, Corona estimates monthly costs for utilities, groceries, and a gym membership total around $1,700, with another $1,000 to $2,000 set aside for leisure.

Working US hours in Asia

Even after the move, Corona continues American hours while running a private lending firm focused on US commercial real estate.

Most of his tasks occur overnight in Thailand, and his fiancée follows a similar pattern.

"Reversing my full schedule took some adjustment," he said.

Typical days begin between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., followed by gym time, errands, and pool relaxation before work starts around 7 p.m.

"In some ways, it created a calmer work rhythm - and coffee at 8 or 9 p.m. works fine," he noted.

The couple occasionally enjoys a late "lunch break" at a nearby Japanese spot open into the early morning hours.

After finishing, he usually goes to bed between 4 and 6 a.m.

"I actually prefer it, as I focus better at night. Back in the US, I often worked evenings when distractions were fewer," he said.

Making Bangkok home

Corona and his fiancée join many foreigners now based in Thailand.

In 2025, Thai civil registration data showed 102,988 foreign residents in Bangkok, though the actual figure may exceed that in a city of 5.4 million people.

Business Insider has interviewed several Bangkok expats recently. They mentioned safety and a lively social scene as key draws.

"I should stay home more, yet there is so much to explore and so many people to meet that I struggle to remain indoors," said retiree Bill Strayer, who trades US stocks overnight, in an earlier interview.

Thailand has rolled out visa options to attract remote workers, such as the five-year Destination Thailand Visa that Corona and his fiancée use.

English being widely spoken in Bangkok also helps.

"When language barriers arise, we turn to Google Translate to close the gap," Corona said.

One early friendship formed after last year's earthquake tremors.

"Another resident dashed downstairs wearing only a towel after the shaking started during his shower," Corona recalled.

The pair chatted during the evacuation, made more memorable when another tenant ran out without a robe secured.

"Through him, I met many others and grew close with them," Corona said. "I have learned that despite the city's size, it feels connected. Once you join one circle, others follow quickly, like a chain reaction."

As Corona settled in, his excitement influenced friends back home. One San Diego acquaintance relocated without ever visiting Thailand first.

"Suddenly he was here and enjoying it as much as I do," he said.

Beyond missing "a good burrito," Corona finds little to long for from Southern California - and the move reshaped his idea of success.

"I now gauge it by freedom: the chance to wake up and choose where to be, how to spend my time, and create something that supports that life instead of draining it," he said.