Ex-IT Professional Finds Success in Koh Samui’s Post-‘White Lotus’ Real-Estate Scene
Anna Miroshina trades burnout in Russia for island business ownership but notes no immediate property surge from filming of hit show
Anna Miroshina, aged forty, left her IT career in St. Petersburg twelve years ago and relocated to the Thai island of Koh Samui.
There she discovered a new work-life balance, ultimately founding the real-estate agency Siam.Villas and embracing the island lifestyle—sunrise workouts, beach afternoons and a respectful culture in which she feels empowered as a woman.
Originally hired to assist a friend’s bar, Miroshina shifted into real-estate brokerage when she found the income far exceeded her bar-job earnings.
Two years ago she launched her own agency on Samui, unrestricted by licensing requirements for agents.
Despite the filming of The White Lotus Season Three at nearby resorts—including the filming location just across from her office—she says she has observed no surge in buyers or traffic related to the series.
“People have been interested in Samui for years, even before the show,” she says.
She notes island living can cost more than mainland Thailand: modest apartments can rent for US $300 monthly, mid-range units US $1,300 monthly, and high-end beachfront villas begin at about US $20,000 per month.
Yet for her, Samui affords the freedom and safety she lacked in Russia.
She is now studying Thai and intends to apply for citizenship within two years.
Her daily routine begins before dawn, includes scouting properties and concludes with a sunset at around 6:30 pm.
She credits the relaxed “sabai-sabai” culture with her decision to stay: the absence of traffic, the sea a short ride away, and a sense of equality she says was missing in Russia.
Her story illustrates how global shifts in mobility, lifestyle choice and real-estate entrepreneurship are playing out in island Thailand—even as the real-estate ripple effects of high-profile filming remain muted for now.
There she discovered a new work-life balance, ultimately founding the real-estate agency Siam.Villas and embracing the island lifestyle—sunrise workouts, beach afternoons and a respectful culture in which she feels empowered as a woman.
Originally hired to assist a friend’s bar, Miroshina shifted into real-estate brokerage when she found the income far exceeded her bar-job earnings.
Two years ago she launched her own agency on Samui, unrestricted by licensing requirements for agents.
Despite the filming of The White Lotus Season Three at nearby resorts—including the filming location just across from her office—she says she has observed no surge in buyers or traffic related to the series.
“People have been interested in Samui for years, even before the show,” she says.
She notes island living can cost more than mainland Thailand: modest apartments can rent for US $300 monthly, mid-range units US $1,300 monthly, and high-end beachfront villas begin at about US $20,000 per month.
Yet for her, Samui affords the freedom and safety she lacked in Russia.
She is now studying Thai and intends to apply for citizenship within two years.
Her daily routine begins before dawn, includes scouting properties and concludes with a sunset at around 6:30 pm.
She credits the relaxed “sabai-sabai” culture with her decision to stay: the absence of traffic, the sea a short ride away, and a sense of equality she says was missing in Russia.
Her story illustrates how global shifts in mobility, lifestyle choice and real-estate entrepreneurship are playing out in island Thailand—even as the real-estate ripple effects of high-profile filming remain muted for now.
