The quietest place I found to work in Bangkok was a public library

Viola Thomas · 2026-03-12T11:35:12.068261+00:00

I spent a week in Bangkok last month trying to get a big project done. Every cafe I went to was either too loud or the wifi was spotty. I was about to give up and go back to my hotel room when I walked past the Neilson Hays Library. It's an old library near Silom, and for about $2, they let you sit and work all day. The chairs are old and the air con is just okay, but it was so quiet I could actually think. I got more done in that one afternoon than I had in three days of cafe hopping. It made me wonder why I always default to coffee shops. Has anyone else found a good public library or other quiet spot that isn't a coworking space in a big city?

smith.uma7mo ago

My go-to quiet spot used to be the big city hall library downtown. I'd sit in the history section surrounded by these giant old books that smelled like dust. The only sound was the hum of the lights and some guy in the corner softly snoring. It was perfect until I tried to fix a leaky water fountain in the lobby and my wrench slipped, making a noise so loud a librarian actually shushed me from two rooms over. What's the most awkward noise you've ever made in a quiet place?

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corad846mo ago

I actually find most libraries way too cold for me.

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derek_cooper7mo ago

Honestly, it's the temperature thing for me. I mean, cafes always feel like they're either freezing you out or it's too warm. Libraries seem to get it right, like a steady, mild climate that just lets your brain work. Maybe it's just me but that constant chill in a coffee shop is its own kind of distraction.

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