From Germany and Taiwan to Bangkok: This is Andrea’s Life at Agoda
- Andrea Martens
- Associate Manager, Pricing Operations
- Living in Bangkok since 2024
Before joining Agoda, I was living in Taiwan and looking for exciting job opportunities across Asia to expand my horizon. Agoda seemed to offer a very compelling package including a salary competitive to the German market, but the outlook to work with smart and driven people from across the globe is what ultimately convinced me.
I knew about Agoda before but only learnt about the perks of Agoda as an employer (e.g. free office massages, among all!) throughout the hiring process. Having visited Bangkok a couple of times before, I was really excited about moving here.
In my previous roles, I was working in much smaller and more localized e-commerce companies in Germany. Although I was also working in Pricing before, my daily tasks and responsibilities were very different from my work now. Working at Agoda, I can build on my experience, but I am also learning and growing a lot.
A Day in The Life of An Associate Manager in Pricing Operations at Agoda
Agoda is all about data, and Marketing is no exception. Every decision we make has to be backed by data. So, my daily work revolves largely around running pricing experiments and analyzing which segments we should offer more or fewer discounts to customers. The idea is simple: when a new set of pricing actions in a particular segment delivers better results than the original, we switch to the new setup. The analysis part, however, is complex. Working at an Online Travel Agency (OTA), we deal with a vast amount of data, and my team and I use a variety of tools like SQL, Tableau, and Python to get the story right.
What I enjoy most though, is when we come together as a team to discuss new ideas. Everyone is very engaged and eager to jump right into problem solving. We like to move fast and find better solutions every day. And in the end, no day is like the one before.
Why Agoda is an Exciting Workplace
One of my favorite things about Agoda is how diverse the employees are. There are so many different perspectives and backgrounds and thus there is so much to learn from one another. On top, you get to really delve into Thai culture and understand more about Thailand as your new home. Agoda also organizes monthly pop ups with food and drink catering to celebrate local holidays. On top of that, there are regular team events and Agoda parties where you can connect with colleagues from other teams.
Growing at Agoda: Learning and Knowledge-Sharing Opportunities
I only started working at Agoda 8 months ago, so I am still learning and growing everyday as part of my onboarding. From what I see in my team, Agoda cares a lot about individual’s development.
In the Marketing department, we have regular Meet & Learn sessions where colleagues share exciting insights into their work, or they share a piece of their expertise for others to learn from. For example, in a recent session, we discussed how to best use data for storytelling.
Relocating to Bangkok: A Stress-Free Process and Comprehensive Support
I relocated to Bangkok from Taipei, Taiwan, and the process was very smooth. Agoda took care of the visa application and guided me through the entire process. I only relocated with a few suitcases and Agoda paid for the extra luggage I had carried. For my first month, I got to stay at a hotel covered by Agoda, so I did not have to worry about housing straight away. They also provided a lot of valuable information about the city, not just tourist attractions but actual information on what supermarkets there are, etc. Before relocation I worried about how easy it would be to open a local bank account, but in the end that was easy and only took one hour as the banks close to the Agoda office are already used to expatriate cases. I can use my English bank app to not only conveniently pay my rent and anything from street food to booking flights, but I can also easily transfer money to my German bank account. Another concern I had was healthcare. But Agoda provides great healthcare insurance which allows me to call the doctor at night and get an appointment the very next day at a modern clinic with English speaking doctors. In the end, starting a life in Bangkok is much easier than I had thought and Agoda provides support along the way.
Living in Bangkok: A Vibrant City Full of Culinary and Cultural Adventures
Bangkok is a bustling city with loads of energy. The food scene seems endless to explore ranging from very cheap yet delicious street food, to fine dining experiences. The bar & coffee scene is equally exciting. And if you do not feel like going out, you can just order food via any of the apps they have here. Life is really convenient! Bangkok itself is quite a diverse city with loads of chic malls on the one hand and very local and artsy neighborhoods on the other hand. Weekends are best spent exploring all facets of the city! My favorite area in Bangkok is Song Wat. It’s quite artsy and there are plenty of hip shops and cafes. My tip: Grab a coffee from Song Wat Coffee Roasters and just stroll around to explore all the small alleys.
Building Community in Bangkok: Finding Connections at Work and Beyond
Agoda is full of people from around the world with exciting stories to share! You have plenty of opportunities to meet people, especially on the orientation day, where you gather with other new joiners from various departments, including other expatriates! In addition, there are tons of social events, clubs and employee resource groups to connect with people from any department, exercise together or network with.
Bangkok is also full of expatriates, so it’s quite easy to meet new people outside of work. I have used Apps like Meet Up and Bumble Friends to connect with others and find communities. One big driver for social interaction is definitely to play sports. As for me, I have started playing Pickleball with some other Expat Women. It’s important to stay open-minded and be proactive.
Cost of Living in Bangkok: Affordable Living with Unique Perks
Compared to bigger cities in Germany, rent is much cheaper, and I would never get a pool on the roof where I am from. Food can be very cheap, depending on what you prefer to eat. Public transport can be a bit more expensive and inconvenient, but there are other options like taxi or bike. Bangkok is unfortunately not a walkable city, so you need to plan ahead sometimes, especially if there is a lot of traffic and getting from A to B takes much longer than anticipated.
In terms of housing, rent is quite cheap compared to Munich where I was living in Germany. For a one-bedroom apartment expect to pay 20,000-35,000 THB (500-1,000 EUR), depending on the area, apartment size and building facilities. The good thing is, they are usually fully furnished so you don’t need to invest in new furniture. For lunch, my team and I usually eat at Central World Mall and the cost varies from 80 THB at the food court (2 EUR) to 300 THB (8 EUR) at a nice restaurant with a set menu. Of course, going out for a nice dinner or drinks can seem a bit more expensive, but ultimately this is probably what I would have paid for a regular dinner out in Munich, if not less.
Final Thoughts: Why Agoda is The Place to Be
Agoda is a big global player and coming from Europe I underestimated that a bit. In Asia, everyone knows Agoda, and it has such a good reputation, also for a reason. As an employer, Agoda is very flexible and offers competitive packages. I think it’s a great opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and embrace the journey it offers learning from and working with smart and ambitious people from all over the world while living in one of the best cities in the world.
