To tip or not to tip?

[poanoi]

i always order take away food these days to avoid tipping demands & insults

[saakura]

No taxi driver does or is expected to take your bags across the lobby and put it into the lift. If your leg is broken and you politely request for help, Thais are very considerate and friendly, will gladly do it. Then you can give him a tip with smiles all around. But if you behave as if you are a superior human by virtue of being born a farang & expect them to be subserviant, they know how to bring you down to reality.

Edited April 20, 2018 by saakura

[soistalker]

10 minutes ago, saakura said:

No taxi driver does or is expected to take your bags across the lobby and put it into the lift. If your leg is broken and you politely request for help, Thais are very considerate and friendly, will gladly do it. Then you can give him a tip with smiles all around. But if you behave as if you are a superior human by virtue of being born a farang & expect them to be subserviant, they know how to bring you down to reality.

Oh, yes....I am a superior human by virtue of the pins in my ankle. The wincing he heard as i got into, and struggled to get out of, his taxi was my superiority, obviously. Most decent humans would have helped me up four stairs to the

lift. That little bit of humanity would have cost twenty seconds. And it was a taxi service, not a taxi company. I should have asked for help from someone too lazy to help?  No.

[saakura]

2 minutes ago, soistalker said:

Oh, yes....I am a superior human by virtue of the pins in my ankle. The wincing he heard as i got into, and struggled to get out of, his taxi was my superiority, obviously. Most decent humans would have helped me up four stairs to the

lift. That little bit of humanity would have cost twenty seconds. And it was a taxi service, not a taxi company. I should have asked for help from someone too lazy to help?  No.

All the pins in the ankle & wincing in pain & struggling were not mentioned in your OP. Anyway,  you would not have ' lost face' by politely asking him to help ?

[StreetCowboy]

1 hour ago, soistalker said:

...That little bit of humanity would have cost twenty seconds. And it was a taxi service, not a taxi company. I should have asked for help from someone too lazy to help?  No.

Up to you.  

 

I like to bravely struggle on, despite my limitations and handicaps, but I don't expect others to help if they are not closely familiar with my problems.  The may not be particularly perceptive. That might be why they are driving a taxi, rather some more esteemed profession.

 

Sometimes I ask others to help, and I'm grateful when they do.  Often, people offer to help, either in recognition of my difficulties, or out of politeness that they would bear anyone, and I am grateful for that,

But I try not to be ungrateful until I've asked for and been refused assistance.

 

SC

 

[StreetCowboy]

1 hour ago, saakura said:

No taxi driver does or is expected to take your bags across the lobby and put it into the lift. If your leg is broken and you politely request for help, Thais are very considerate and friendly, will gladly do it. Then you can give him a tip with smiles all around. But if you behave as if you are a superior human by virtue of being born a farang & expect them to be subserviant, they know how to bring you down to reality.

The taxi driver's job is to get you and your luggage out of the taxi and drive off to make room for the next customer.  It is the porter's job to take your stuff into the hotel.  You can tip the porter for his porting, and the taxi driver for his driving

[poanoi]

1 hour ago, soistalker said:

Oh, yes....I am a superior human by virtue of the pins in my ankle. The wincing he heard as i got into, and struggled to get out of, his taxi was my superiority, obviously. Most decent humans would have helped me up four stairs to the

lift. That little bit of humanity would have cost twenty seconds. And it was a taxi service, not a taxi company. I should have asked for help from someone too lazy to help?  No.

this is a case when i tip very generously,

that is, when i get serviced that wasnt written like for example a menu,

in this case, i would probably pay 100 baht tip, since it was by definition above and beyond call of duty, and totally unlike when i get my beer handed to me,

the price for it included handing it over as far as i am concerned

[Katia]

9 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

You are being expected to tip because you are a farang, and other farang tourists have gotten them used to it. Thais generally do not tip, it is not a tipping culture. Thais will tip 20-100thb for service at restaurants if the service is excellent, that's about it. If a taxi fare is 131, neither a Thai or a farang should expect 9thb back.

 

Should have just given her the 20thb, that's all she was expecting.

My Thai friends will look at my tip and hand some back to me if they think I left too much. 

 

I leave one if there isn't the service charge... if there is the service charge, I'll leave the coins change.

[Ulic]

At a restaurant, I usually tip 20 or possibly round up to the denomination note I have

in my wallet. If I am at a beer bar I will round up the 90 baht beer charge to 100. If at

a Go-Go bar I tend not to buy lady drinks. I just give the girls a 100 baht tip. Better for

them cheaper for me, (never barfine there, I just like to look and kill some time) For the

airport Taxi drivers from Mr. Taxi I tip well. The airport fare is cheap (900-1100 baht).

My arrival is often a little late. (I know not my fault but still) They are always there waiting.

Door to door service, I am happy to be arriving, or I have a lot of cash when I am leaving. 

So a 300-500 tip if they have been quick, on time, and got me there safely without scaring me.

[LomSak27]

I tell them I am Australian and stiff em. Dirty looks sure, muttering about KeeNiaw, Kee Nok Farangs sure. All in a days work.

[Ulic]

6 hours ago, Monkeyrobot said:

If it’s 10% service charge then no tip, if you took 4 people to dinner and the bill was 3000B then you would have 300B on top for service. But if no service charge then up to you.

The problem with the service charges is they almost never go to the staff.They are just another

revenue stream for the restaurant owner. I try never to patronize restaurants with service charges. 

[catman20]

17 hours ago, petermik said:

...........?

some guys are wasted in  

[catman20]

13 hours ago, Hummin said:

And no barladies before that either! BL came with Americans!

thank god for the yanks

[catman20]

i very seldom tip.

[Hummin]

10 minutes ago, catman20 said:

thank god for the yanks

If it was not for the yanks, I might have spoken russian or German, but most likely russian!

Edited April 20, 2018 by Hummin

[poanoi]

9 minutes ago, Hummin said:

If it was not for the yanks, I might have spoken russian or German, but most likely russian!

if it wasnt for the french, the yanks would be speaking english

[5633572526]

I do the same here as in my home country because it is my culture.

if there is a service charge that is the tip if not I decide based on service received.

fyi my Aussie friends never tip because to quote them “Aussies don’t tip”

never been to Australia so I will have to take their word for it.

[thinkingman]

I am only here a couple of times a year, so this is what I do.  If you are a full-time expat, just pick an auspicious holiday for the folks that make your life easier.

 

The security guys in my condo cart all my shopping/household goods/etc. from my car to my unit and salute me. I pay them at least 30-60 Baht per trip as it is worth it.

 

Cheerful wait staff at restaurant always 10%, unless service is charged at 10%, then nothing to <5%. I also tell them service was good and thanks.

 

Grumpy and phone -obsessed wait staff, etc., nothing.

 

Condo cleaning staff-Bt 1000 at the end of my stay of a month or so, paid to "pit boss" with witnesses so she shares it. Front desk girls/staff Bt 100-200 each at the end of my visit.

 

Competent workmen for small deliveries/installations/repairs at my condo Bt100 and up. (I had two guys who came from iSpa in Bangkok to fix a five year old shower door gasket and charged me nothing--They got Bt500. I should have given them more.) 

 

Golf caddies--Bt500 as I book in advance and get the girl I want.  Where I am assigned a caddie, Bt300 if they are barely competent, Bt500 if they meet my standards.Girls at front desk of club who handle my caddie bookings, etc., Bt100-200 at end of my visit. Locker room attendant who pours me a glass of cold water after my round and before my shower, 20-50 Baht.

 

I really don't care if they look at me as an ATM. If they can fake it to my standards, so be it.

 

I have to say I am recognized by restaurant wait staff even if I haven't visited in a year or so.  They always have a friendly smile and direct me to a nice table, and an occasional freebie drink or appetizer. Needless to say, I don't go back to places where the food or service was not good.

 

[Wake Up]

On 4/20/2018 at 2:36 AM, Suradit69 said:

Of course you should tip. 

 

It's interesting how many people think they have an in-depth understanding of all things Thai when they can use it as an excuse to save money. 

 

If you want to be kee niaow then don't blame it on your deep appreciation for Thai culture.

When I first arrived at Thailand all I knew were expats and some tipped all the time and over tipped.  I think they thought it made them more wanted and desired.

 

 Dated a few Thai girls and learned that Sam Lin’s comments are 100 percent true.  If you are overtipping or tipping all the time then you get your 5 seconds of fame but you are wrong about Thai culture. Taxis you round up and get no coins back and restaurants that are high dollar you give 20 baht and some clubs you give 100 baht if you are there all night and local Thai food stalls zero.  Many Thais I know do not want you tipping or over tipping when accompanied by them as they see that as a sign you do not know Thai culture. 

Edited April 21, 2018 by Wake Up