From Malaysia and Taiwan to Bangkok: Nicky’s Life at Agoda
- Nicky Goh
- Senior Data Engineer, Engineering & Technology
- Living in Bangkok since 2023
Before joining Agoda, I worked as a software engineer for over 11 years in multiple locations, including Malaysia, Taiwan, and Spain. Unfortunately, in my most recent role before Agoda, I was laid off after two months due to a company-wide reorganization. This led me to take my first career break, during which I focused on personal growth by traveling, reading, and reflecting on my next steps.
During this break, I came across Agoda’s Tech Blog on Medium and was deeply impressed by the impactful and large-scale engineering initiatives led by the tech team. I was inspired by their work, and I decided to apply to Agoda once again around 2023. (I first applied to join Agoda in 2019, but I wasn’t successful. This time, I was determined to give it another shot and got in!)
A Day in the Life of a Senior Data Engineer in Agoda’s Data Platform Team
As a Software Engineer, my daily routine involves writing code, designing solutions, and collaborating with other teams to solve complex technical challenges. Even after nearly two years in this role, I still feel the same excitement and curiosity as I did on day one, constantly eager to learn from both the people around me and the challenges I encounter.
It’s quite amazing to see the direct impact one can have at Agoda. For example, I was part of a project that involved the comprehensive refactoring of the legacy Python messaging client to overcome throughput limitations and enhance the user experience. By leveraging multi-workers with an in-memory buffer, the new design reduced network bandwidth bottlenecks. These changes enabled the client to handle a higher volume of requests, resulting in faster and more efficient messaging interactions.
Why Agoda is an Exciting Workplace
What I appreciate most about Agoda is the people. Everyone here genuinely cares about achieving meaningful goals, working together toward shared objectives to deliver the best outcomes. This collaborative mindset creates an inspiring work environment that attracts like-minded individuals who are passionate about contributing and making a difference.
The Tech Stack at Agoda: A Global Environment and Diverse Tech Stack
Agoda has one of the best tech teams among tech companies in Asia. The engineers here are genuinely passionate about tackling complex problems that drive the company’s growth. With an abundance of fascinating and impactful tech projects to work on, Agoda continues to attract exceptional talent who is eager to contribute and innovate.
Agoda’s tech stack is highly versatile and thoughtfully diversified, allowing teams to choose the technologies that best meet their specific requirements. For instance, data platform services predominantly utilize Java and Scala, capitalizing on the rich ecosystem of open-source systems like Apache Spark, Kafka, and Hadoop.
One of the most fascinating and impactful projects I’ve worked on at Agoda was designing a solution to secure high-risk data within our data platform. Over six months, our tech team meticulously crafted two iterations of an RFC to identify the optimal solution. What sets Agoda’s tech team apart is the dedication to understanding the fundamental problems—specifically, how business teams utilize high-risk data in their workflows—and addressing these core issues rather than rushing toward OKR achievements. This meant investing time in extensive feedback loops, collaboration across teams, and even extending the project timeline to ensure we delivered a robust and scalable solution. By prioritizing thoughtful problem-solving and long-term security over immediate milestones, we upheld Agoda’s commitment to building impactful technology that supports both the business and its users.
Growing at Agoda: Diverse Opportunities and Inspiring Leadership
The career growth opportunities at Agoda are both diverse and flexible, allowing you to choose between a technical or managerial path based on your interests and strengths.
One of the most significant areas of personal growth I’ve experienced at Agoda is developing a better mindset. I’ve learned to approach problems from different perspectives, enabling me to make more thoughtful and effective decisions.
Additionally, the company is filled with exceptional leaders and inspiring role models, providing endless opportunities to learn and grow by observing and working alongside them. Agoda hires talent around the world – so the hiring bar is high. I find myself constantly challenging myself and striving to keep up with other talented engineers.
Living in Bangkok: A Seamless Transition to a Vibrant and Evolving City
I relocated to Bangkok from Taipei, Taiwan, after living there for nearly eight years. I’m originally from Malaysia and have visited Bangkok many times. So, Bangkok felt very familiar to me. I’ve always been amazed by how much it has evolved and progressed with each visit. Additionally, being closer to my home country and family made the move even more meaningful.
A big shoutout to Agoda’s Global Mobility team for their incredible support throughout the relocation process. From handling visa applications to coordinating house moving and providing temporary accommodation, they ensured everything was smooth and seamless. Thanks to their efforts, the transition had minimal impact on my work, allowing me to settle in quickly and focus on my role.
I genuinely enjoy the vibrant blend of culture, convenience, and lifestyle that Bangkok offers. From affordable and delicious food to peaceful green spaces like Lumphini, Benjakkiti Park, and Bang Kachao, where I can escape the hustle and bustle of city life, there’s always something to appreciate. On weekends, I often go scuba diving with friends, and Thailand is the perfect destination for this, with its countless breathtaking islands and crystal-clear waters. There are several excellent diving spots I have been to in Thailand, such as Koh Tao, Chumphon, and Koh Lipe.
Building Community in Bangkok: Making Meaningful Connections in a New City
Settling into both Agoda and Bangkok was relatively easy for me, thanks to the friendly people and the cultural similarities to my home country, despite the language barrier.
While adapting to the local social scene in a new city can be challenging, there are plenty of opportunities to meet new friends through mobile apps, meetups, and group outings, which made the transition much smoother. For example, Agoda has an internal social media group where employees can join various sport events like badminton, basketball and rock climbing. Additionally, there area wide range of mobile apps such as Meetup and Couchsurfing, to find different types of outings and events with either local or foreign communities.
My advice would be to find a community that shares similar hobbies or interests, as it’s one of the easiest ways to connect with like-minded people.
Cost of living in Bangkok: Balancing Affordability and Lifestyle Choices
Bangkok’s cost of living is fairly similar to Kuala Lumpur, though the overall cost largely depends on your lifestyle choices. When it comes to food or daily necessities, the cost is pretty much the same. For example, the cost of a meal at a mid-range restaurant in Bangkok averages around 150-300 THB, whereas in Kuala Lumpur it may cost approximately 20-35 MYR.
Accommodation is slightly more expensive if you choose to live within the Bangkok city center. However, there are cheaper options if you choose the right locations. For example, a one-bedroom studio in Bangkok’s city center costs around 20,000-30,000 THB monthly, and they usually come equipped with many facilities, compared to 1,500-2,500 MYR in Kuala Lumpur. Many good options below 15,000 THB monthly are available in other locations.
Transportation fees are comparable. Bangkok’s BTS and MRT costing 15-59 THB per trip, and Kuala Lumpur’s LRT and MRT falling within the range of 1-6 MYR per ride.
Final Thoughts: Why Agoda is the Place to Be
Joining a new company comes with many considerations and challenges, especially when relocating far from home. However, it can also be a life-changing experience when you collaborate with remarkable individuals to achieve something extraordinary.
For me, the most rewarding aspect of my journey at Agoda has been the tremendous growth I’ve achieved in my career as a software engineer. I’ve been fortunate to work alongside incredibly supportive and talented colleagues who share a unified vision and are equally driven to reach common goals. This sense of shared purpose and collaboration has made my journey both deeply fulfilling and truly inspiring and I would encourage anyone who wants to work in a fast-paced, tech company with a truly global environment to try your chance and apply for a role at Agoda.
