richard_smith237

https://www.paymentsense.com/uk/blog/the-future-of-tipping/ "But, where does tipping come from and why do we tip? Beginning in Tudor England as a way for overnight guests to give money to their host’s servants, the phenomenon of tipping has been around for the best part of 500 years. " https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/30/how-tipping-came-to-the-us.html#:~:text=As a practice%2C tipping has,American Social History of Gratuities.” [In the 1800s, Americans who had seen tipping on travels abroad “thought this would be a wonderful thing to kind of mimic our brothers and sisters in Europe” and brought the practice to the U.S. At the end of the Civil War, America’s labor force “was flooded” with formerly enslaved people and immigrants. Employers took advantage of this class of “low-educated, low-income” workers, he says, and hired them for jobs that paid very little, encouraging patrons to tip as a supplement to wages. This shifted the responsibility of paying workers to customers and cut employers’ costs.]

They chase you down the road apparently... Story time: A friend who'd been working in 50 Deg C desert... flew into NYC after work and met his wife who'd flown there separately. They went to a restaurant and had a US$200 meal and tipped US$30... as he was leaving he was chased down at the door by the waitress who asked if there was a problem with her service... No... Why only tip 15% then... With this he replied, I've just been working 1 month in horrific conditions and no one tipped me (numerous f-bombs were dropped)... With that he took the $30 she was holding and walked out the door !!! (story is somewhat paraphrased - but the 15% is real as is the general gist)...

100% concur... It always seems like its the Americans who accuse 'non-tippers' as being 'cheap-charlies' but they come from an environment which amplifies tipping through employers being cheap-charlies. That said, I believe tipping originated in the Middle-East and Europe millennia ago when the wealthy started filtering down payment to the serving classes / slaves.... it filtered fwd to Wealth Americans visiting Europe who adopted the culture and made it... well, made it American....

VFS can be a little difficult... they want everything perfect ( I guess thats their job )... Wife recently applied for Schengen and was told her Travel Insurance was not the right one... (it was a better policy that they suggest online because we were also doing winter sports)... They didn't want to submit the application, but wife pushed it, the Visa was approved very quickly. In this case (of application for visa renewal) I'm not even sure that the requirement for an address in Thailand (in English Language) is for.... Anyone ??? why the need to show a proof of address to VFS ? and why in English ?

You may be referring to Thailand... But in the general discussion of 'the lost art of tipping'... Tipping in the US seems most definitely 'not' optional...

Its a term of phrase... just like the suggesting that 'conversation is an art'... ... or perhaps 'intelligently contributing to a discussion forum is an art'.... clearly something lost on you.

I believe you suffer to comprehend the development of a thread... The thread is the 'lost art of tipping'.... and not... 'discuss tipping in Thailand only' !!!! Now... had you graduated beyond reading one or two comments before replying you'd recognise that some of the discussion had evolved into how tipping is considered not acceptable in some countries and whether this is because in countries were wages may be greater tipping is not necessary... Ultimately, I can explain it for you, suggest you re-read the thread... but I'm sorry, I can't understand it for you - you'll have to apply yourself a little harder for that.

Indeed... it rather seemed as though he gave himself a golden shower each morning....

I thought it had to be all in English for the UK end....? 🤔 Note: my experience differs - based on going to the VFS myself, not using an agent. (based on personal experience at Submission for renewal) - I have tried with my Pink ID before (at VFS) which was rejected because the address needs to be in English, my Thai DL (which as the address in English) was accepted. The only issue the Op 'could' face, is if the staff note the expiry date of the Thai DL and become difficult.

No... VFS is closed on Saturdays. You (third-party representative) can pick up a new passport on Monday's to Friday's (except on public holidays) from 14:00-15:00 hrs (within 30 days of its arrival at VFS). If a third-party representative will be collecting the passport on your behalf, they will be required to bring the following with them when collecting: · The document receipt checklist · The previous passport for cancellation · A copy of the ID/passport of the person who was authorised · A signed letter giving the third-party authorisation from you stating their name and that you are content for them to collect the passport on your behalf. So if you are busy at work, you can send staff to collect the Passport etc.

Ignoring all the other comments who see a photo of a Thai Airways Aircraft and turn this into a Thai Airways bash (not disagreeing with all the comments made though)... Your comment above [Jonathan Swift] underlines perfect how and why services diminish... when industries are run purely by accounting teams choosing the lowest bidder they only identify the immediate bottom line and fail to identify the down-stream service that is impacted by the cut backs. When people are underpaid and overworked, I have great sympathy... but I don't have any sympathy for the organisations that allow this to happen... in this case I believe it is AOT (Ground Aviation Services) who have sold their employees short and the consequent 'quiet quitting' is being identified.

Theoretically you should have no issues with either a TM30 document (receipt) or your expired DL, unless you have an overzealous counter staff member at VFS. I don't think they can post it back to you, but you can assign someone to collect it for you (anyone with your receipt). If you are outside of Bangkok anyway using an agent may be a consideration to cut down on hassle (if not too costly).

100% and the toxic comments made by said poster highlight the extent of his insipid mindset...

If that was the case there would be headlines a few times everyday of this happening in Bangkok given the population but there isn’t. This happens in Bangkok too and there has been plenty of news... but you are comparing 'gross population' of Bangkok to the 'gross population of Pattaya'... (Bangkok is about 7x larger than Chonburi). It does seem that Pattaya has a disproportionately high number of balcony falls... but I wonder if thats not just because it also has a disproportionately higher number of people getting mashed... Or is it something as simple as balcony railing are actually lower in Pattaya and thats the difference ? When authorities don't care about enforcing motorcycle helmet laws (with 20,000 motorcyclist dying a year), they're not going to care about balcony heights.

Would you take the chance because you 'don't know of......' ??? - An IDP is necessary in Belgium if your license isn't in English or you're from a non-EU country, as experienced by a forum member in another thread recently who needed an IDP with his Thai License to drive in Belgium... Thus: its only Wise to have an IDP, at least the 1968 version.... But double check each country, just incase they require the 1949 version ( think most (or all) of the EU nations are a signatory of the 1968 convention.

Be careful with the advice you give.... You have projected your experience of France across the whole of Europe. A recent thread on the same subject highlighted that someone (or their Wife) driving in Belgium required an IDP to accompany their Thai licence to legally drive there.

I wonder how it functions as post operative (simple op) pain relief... for something such as knee surgery, or even as pain relief for a broken leg / arm etc... Or even sciatica and back pain... Seems like it could be effective and better than taking other meds...

Nothing... Face ID will not work from a photo..... But if the Thief Scammer is Ethan Hunt and has a perfect 3D model of my face I'm in trouble.

I think I have this one covered... Recently, out for dinner with a group of families (all Thai except two Western males, one of them myself).... All Wai's and greetings... I generally return the Wai of the Thai Wives... and Wai and then Shake the hand of the Thai men if nearby. There is no hierarchy, the Wai is generally done at the same time (when of similar age). As I met the Western male we both shook hands. I think its got to be harder for kids of Thai-Western background... knowing when to Wai and when not to with westerners and other mixed couples... My son always seems to know what to do, Wai the Thai people and go up and say hello to the westerns, then the wester male will out put and hand and shake if he feels it appropriate... No hard rules... just attempts for everyone to be polite across a mixed cultural social playground. Its different with business and this is perhaps where greater care should be taken.

Kind of similar to: If you hadn't learned good manners by the time you were two years old, don't use them. .... It is not the 'innocent and naivety' of those who may not know how to Wai or when they should that is an issue, people make innocent mistakes in social surroundings and that is entirely forgivable by those around them... .... It is the 'deliberate ignorance' that highlights a degree of bigotry, people are perceptive and can pick up on this, it doesn't endear those who refuse to Wai... it ostracises them into a place of disregard.

Then your teacher was a bit of a pillock.... I know Thai's in very high positions who return the Wai of waiting staff when walking into a nice restaurant etc.... because its the polite thing to do... I watch my Father in Law behave the same way.

While they are at it they could impose a ban on not wear helmets, driving the wrong way down a one way street, they could ban drink driving... etc etc. ... If you haven't picked up on the point I'm trying to make - its that there are perfectly good laws in place, but they are not enforced. I'm not sure of the law on balcony height... but at a couple of condo's I've stayed at in the past the height is near my chest. In some cheaper hotels it was a lot lower and my assumption has always been that some 'city inspector' was paid off.

Because you are reading news about incidents in Thailand. This same thing happens in all areas with high tourist footfall... Spain, Cancun.... I'm not sure if the numbers of 'balcony falls' in Thailand or specifically, Pattaya, are disporportinately high compaured to the number of tourists. It would need to measured in: Number of falls per 100,000 tourist days... to achieve a comparable metric,

Simple answer: Yes with an accompanying IPD which can be obtained from the Provincial Land Transport Office. Slightly more complex answer: GF needs to hold a permanent or 5 year driving licence (not a temp 2 year license) to obtain an IDP. There are two main IDP Conventions - 1949 and 1968. Find out which Convention your destination countries are a signatory. Some countries (such as UK) have a mutual agreement in place and an IDP is not required (still, its best to be covered with an IDP if you are unsure).

Phones don’t need the ‘faraday cage’ protection - mine only works if the the payment is triggered with a double-tap & authorised with Face ID.