I've been traveling full-time for years and I track every booking obsessively. So when I noticed a price gap between what my US-based friend paid vs what I was seeing from Bangkok, I decided to test it properly.
The experiment
Same hotel: Avani+ Riverside Bangkok. Same dates: 3 nights in March. Same room: Superior King.
- US IP (New York VPN): $240 total
- Thai IP (Bangkok, no VPN): $141 total
That's a 41% difference on the exact same booking.
Why this happens
Booking platforms use dynamic pricing based on dozens of signals. One of the biggest is your IP address — it tells them your likely purchasing power and local market expectations. Thai users see Thai-market prices. US users see US-market prices.
This isn't illegal. It's the same reason a flight from Bangkok to London costs less when booked in Thailand than when booked in the US.
How to replicate it
1. Get a VPN — NordVPN is what I use. Connect to a Thailand server (Bangkok specifically).
2. Clear your cookies — or open an incognito/private window. This prevents the booking site from recognizing your account history.
3. Search on Agoda or Booking.com while connected to the Thai server.
4. Book and pay — you can use any credit card, no Thai card needed.
That's it. The price you see with a Thai IP is the price you pay.
Does it work for hotels outside Thailand?
Yes. I've tested it for hotels in Japan, Bali, Vietnam, and even Europe. Thai IP pricing is lower across the board — not just for Thai hotels.
Does it always work?
Not always. Some hotels have rate parity agreements. Some OTAs are getting better at detecting VPNs. But in my experience, it works roughly 70–80% of the time, and the savings when it does work are significant.
What VPN I use
I've used NordVPN for 3 years. It's fast, has reliable Thai servers, and hasn't been blocked by Agoda in my experience. Get NordVPN here — they usually have a deal running.
Try it yourself
Use CheapStay to compare Agoda and Booking.com prices instantly — it fetches prices server-side from a Bangkok IP so you see Thai-market rates without needing a VPN yourself.
Planning a trip to Thailand?
Before you book, check our Thailand entry requirements guide — visa rules, vaccine requirements, and Bangkok airport arrival tips in one place.
Written by Avi
Full-time traveler and travel hacker who has explored 50+ countries. Real experience, not theory — every guide comes from time actually spent in the place.
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