Ko Phangan has been ranked the No 1 destination for people seeking a workation (work + vacation) in a recent survey.

The survey was by the William Russell website which attracts expats, professionals, families, remote workers, digital nomads, frequent travellers, and businesses.

The survey concludes Ko Phangan is the No 1 destination for a workation, followed by No 2 - Gran Canaria, Spain; No 3 - Lisbon, Portugal; No 4 - Austin, Texas, USA; No 5 - Sao Paolo, Brazil; No 6 - Budapest, Hungary; No 7 - Canggu, Bali, Indonesia; No 8 - Belgrade, Serbia; No 9 - Berlin, Germany; and No 10 - Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The ranking is based on various factors including monthly costs (which should not be too high), internet speed (which should be fast and workable), fun and safety (low crime rate).

The Surat Thani governor said the necessity to work remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic led to the new trend - workation - from where expats can work full-time from anywhere in the world with only the internet and a computer notebook at hand.

Ko Phangan is also well-connected to Ko Samui and Ko Tao islands nearby, the governor said.

"In December 2021, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) educated business operators at Ko Phangan about accepting digital nomads because of the strong trend of working remotely. Many foreigners want to find a place to get away from the Covid-19 pandemic and at the same time work from where they stay.

"When asked by the TAT, foreigners said Ko Phangan has all they need. The cost of living there is acceptable," he said.