Wanted to share my latest side project journey, which literally started while chilling by a hotel pool in Thailand. It's called Thai Price Translator.

The Problem I Saw:

I was on a trip with my parents, and they kept getting confused by foreign prices. "How much is 65 baht in our currency?" "Is 129 baht for a meal expensive?" Standard currency converters were too complex for them – they just wanted to quickly grasp the value of things relative to what they know back home. This highlighted a clear, subconscious need for travelers.

My Side Project: Thai Price Translator

Instead of a full-blown currency converter, I built something super simple: an app that converts Thai Baht to Chinese Yuan, but with a twist. After the conversion, it adds a contextual note, like "about the price of a cup of coffee back home" or "the same as a bottle of Coke." This instantly makes the price relatable and helps with purchasing decisions.

now，you can down it in AppStore or google play

iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6749685008

Android:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.quickwis.pricetranslator

The "How" (The Vibe Coding Part):

As a product manager with limited coding skills, I used an AI coding assistant (WindSurf & CodeBuddy) to quickly prototype this. I literally spent afternoons by the hotel pool, refining this little tool. It took about 30 minutes to get the core prototype working. It was pure "vibe coding" – building something small and focused to solve a real, observed problem.

Early Validation & Unexpected Traction:

I initially built it just for my parents, but decided to share a demo on Xiaohongshu (a popular Chinese social media platform). The response was insane:

• 220,000+ views in less than 48 hours!
• It was featured on the homepage of Sspai (少数派, Like "TNW" of China version), a well-known tech/productivity website in China.
• Just yesterday, it crossed 500+ total downloads across App Store and Google Play.
• And the most surprising part: I've already sold 50+ lifetime memberships!

This project really reinforced my belief that products aren't just about piling on features; they're about deeply understanding a specific scenario and a user's subconscious needs. Sometimes, the simplest solution to a niche problem can gain unexpected traction.

What's Next?

Chinese users are clearly very interested in this humble little app, and I'm curious to know if people from other countries and regions share that same feeling – that sense of discomfort with foreign currency values when traveling abroad – making them feel they also need an app like this?

Please leave a comment recalling your travel memories abroad and tell me if you'd need it too! I'd like to randomly give away some redemption codes to those who are interested.