Taxi tipping to/from airport

[willyumcr]

I have been using Mr. T and others for about 10 years now. The rate is 1,000 each way. I have always tipped the driver 100 baht. However it seems lately that I am getting some frowns on the amount. How about you? Thanks for reply

[moonseeker]

I am using Mr. T very often and always tip100, plus a coffee if we do a quick stop. I think this is fair enough for a 2 to 3 hour job and always get friendly thanks for it. MS>

[garvon]

Nothing but smiles and thanks for the 100 baht tip.

[KMartinHandyman]

I’ve taught my wife it’s okay to tip 10 to 50 baht around Bangkok and thank you seems rare.

[wpcoe]

5 hours ago, garvon said:

Nothing but smiles and thanks for the 100 baht tip.

+1   I've been using Mr.T for a while now.  For Songkran Exodus he was booked up, so I used Cherry's taxi.  All drivers have seemed satisfied/happy with a B100 tip.

[NewGuy]

Mr. T. Pattaya to Don Meuang or back has been raised to 1,400 from 1,300 recently. Don't know about Pattaya to Suvannabumi.  Usually good, sometimes the shocks are well past their best before date, sometimes a mini van rather than a car. In over 10 years only one case of the driver not showing (replacement guy came in a flash), only one case of the driver avoiding tolls by taking Suk from Bangkok to Pattaya, do book well ahead (sometimes there are no available vehicles) by phone here in Thailand or by email from overseas.

[kdrayong]

From more than 200 rides with Mr. T., I just remember two negative experiences.

Once a driver asked for 500 Baht tip from Don Muang to Pattaya what I refused.

The other time the driver asked to pay for the toll fee that is already included in the total price. After I refused him, he stopped somewhere for about 45 minutes to take his lunch. No tip in the end.

All of the other drivers were reliable and happy with my 100 Baht tip.

[DrTuner]

I never tip on agreed price. Evil murican invention, not Thai habit. No complaints from drivers.

[thaitero]

I do not think it is good idea to tip always for something you use regular. if you do servicepeople think that is norm from you and greedier ones want more.. 

[Jip99]

Do what you think is right.

 

If I am happy with the service, 100 Baht on top of the agreed fee from Jomtien is OK with me.

[willyumcr]

On 4/28/2018 at 1:25 PM, wpcoe said:

+1   I've been using Mr.T for a while now.  For Songkran Exodus he was booked up, so I used Cherry's taxi.  All drivers have seemed satisfied/happy with a B100 tip.

Hi WPCOE. Yes I also used Cherry for first time on 19th at 2330. I did get frown from this driver.

[NanLaew]

On 4/28/2018 at 12:29 AM, willyumcr said:

I have been using Mr. T and others for about 10 years now. The rate is 1,000 each way. I have always tipped the driver 100 baht. However it seems lately that I am getting some frowns on the amount. How about you? Thanks for reply

Come on willy, still tipping 100 baht after 10 years? Try 200 if a smile is that important.

[kimchibob]

Mr. T now charges ฿1100 each way. Just picked up a new business card at their office on Soi Diana Inn yesterday. New price is reflected on the card.

[doodle]

100 baht + is very fair. Don't forget these drivers are only getting a small proportion of the fare. Mr T is getting the lion's share. One of the best taxi services out of Pattaya. Always there waiting for me at Suvarnabhumi and the return. Most of Mr T's drivers are pretty good although all a bit too fond of their mobile phones.

[DJ54]

Tipping should depend on the service provided. I usually tip. 

Once the driver was driving dangerously fast gave no tip

and driver gave me yap about it. 

[Minnehaha]

On 4/29/2018 at 7:04 PM, DrTuner said:

I never tip on agreed price. Evil murican invention, not Thai habit. No complaints from drivers.

Why would anyone tip where local culture does not?

 

Why on earth would anyone tip ON A SET PRICE ? Particularly when it is 2 times the meter rate? 

[thrilled]

If you knew how much some of the taxi drivers make in Bangkok then I believe you 

would be more generous.I don’t tip 20%.But I usually tip 10% of whatever the fare is.

[Top man]

Why do people make excuses for not tipping, if the service is ok, then tip,

If it's not don't. End of.

But there is a lot of tight people out there who really think they should never tip. ....sad sad people. 

[LeoTex]

8 hours ago, kimchibob said:

Mr. T now charges ฿1100 each way. Just picked up a new business card at their office on Soi Diana Inn yesterday. New price is reflected on the card.

Most likely the increase is do to the new toll booth on Highway 7 just outside Pattaya.

 

I don't use Mr. T any longer because of some (several) problems I have had, but when I did and the everything went well with the ride, I would tip the driver 200 baht.

 

LeoTex

[THAILIBAN]

On 4/28/2018 at 8:42 AM, KMartinHandyman said:

I’ve taught my wife it’s okay to tip 10 to 50 baht around Bangkok and thank you seems rare.

 

 

It is a difference if you just use a regular cab in BKK on a 15 Minutes ride or use a pre-booked (private) car with driver for a trip that will take the driver 4 hrs until he is back home. I believe many of those drivers don't actually own the car they are driving. In such cases, 100 Baht and not less is certainly appropriate. And I am not an enthusiastic tipper at all, as I hail from a country where people get a salary/wage for their work. In BKK, I just round up the fare if the driver was okay. From 73 to 80 Baht, or from 89 too 100, for example. Thai people don't tip regular cabs at all !

I tip more (20-30 when going to DMK or BKK airport, as it is usually a long distance and the driver may not get a fare back (particularly at Swampy)

[THAILIBAN]

1 hour ago, Minnehaha said:

Why would anyone tip where local culture does not?

 

Why on earth would anyone tip ON A SET PRICE ? Particularly when it is 2 times the meter rate? 

 

 

Agree, a SET price certainly does not usually require a tip. But those who agree on set prices when using metered cabs are stupid anyway (at least in BKK, in PTY there is no escape from that)

But it is a different case on those BKK - PTY shuttles as I believe that in many cases the driver does not even own the car and is being paid near to nothing

[Pattaya46]

2 hours ago, Top man said:

Why do people make excuses for not tipping,

if the service is ok, then tip, If it's not don't. End of.

And who decided that ?? 

Maybe it's the way it works where you come from, 

but where I come from we only tip when the service is better than expected.

If the service is just ok/normal, then no tip.

Edited May 1, 2018 by Pattaya46

[geisha]

YEs, the mobile  phones are a problem! Is Mr T an  authorised licencensed taxi with Insurance ? I always use the airport limousine service because of this reason. 

[DrTuner]

2 hours ago, Top man said:

But there is a lot of tight people out there who really think they should never tip. ....sad sad people. 

Yeah, like most of Europe. It is an eeeeeeeeeeeeevil murican invention driving inflation and crappier service.

 

 

[DrTuner]

Just FYI: http://bigthink.com/strange-maps/in-which-countries-should-you-tip-and-how-much

[bartender100]

15 minutes ago, geisha said:

YEs, the mobile  phones are a problem! Is Mr T an  authorised licencensed taxi with Insurance ? I always use the airport limousine service because of this reason. 

Last one i had from MrT constantly on the phone and driving over 100, I asked him to ststop but he said he had to take the calls, not the first one to do either, unless I get a guarantee from MrT I wont use him again for drivers, he got no tip

[Doctorbu]

I tip 100-400 based on how far, and the service. Lately a lot of the taxis at suvarnabhumi have been complaining (I know, when do they not complain) that traffic and their que to get back in the pick up area are too long, so they don’t make the money they used to....so they want to charge flat rate which is higher. If they insist on flat rate I give less tip. If they use the meter  and service / attitude is good I give more. Every once in a while you get someone who is so nice, pleasant, smiles.....doesn’t try to play you...they get more. 

[theguyfromanotherforum]

4 hours ago, Top man said:

Why do people make excuses for not tipping, if the service is ok, then tip,

If it's not don't. End of.

But there is a lot of tight people out there who really think they should never tip. ....sad sad people. 

 

You are sad imposing your American ways into a culture where tipping is not expected. Does it make you feel more important? Hard working Thais absolutely hate your habit.

 

Try tipping in Japan and you will be ridiculed for insulting them. 

 

Everyone works hard. People at McDonald's work hard. Do you tip them?

 

I am guilty of tipping myself, but I always get an earful from the wife.

 

So yes, I'm a bit of a hypocrite, but at least I'm aware.

[Sapporillo]

1 hour ago, Doctorbu said:

I tip 100-400 based on how far, and the service. Lately a lot of the taxis at suvarnabhumi have been complaining (I know, when do they not complain) that traffic and their que to get back in the pick up area are too long, so they don’t make the money they used to....so they want to charge flat rate which is higher. If they insist on flat rate I give less tip. If they use the meter  and service / attitude is good I give more. Every once in a while you get someone who is so nice, pleasant, smiles.....doesn’t try to play you...they get more. 

Same here, sometimes I even tell them right from the start, if I feel they’re cool. I say: “please just drive carefully and on the meter and I’ll be generous”. If they get it, don’t complain and don’t hassle me in any way, I can give up to 50%, and in very rare cases even more (for short distances). Why? Out of pure selfishness: I can afford it easily, I know the driver appreciates it (of course, a jerk won’t get nothing), and that alone puts me in a good mood. A few hundred baht is nothing for that, in my eyes. 

[Ulic]

My buddy just got back from the Fontainebleau South Beach Miami. When he went

to pay the taxi fare with a credit card the tip suggestions on the payment device started at 25%- 35%- 50%. Of course, that paled in comparison to the

$20 single shot vodka drinks, $150 cover charge to get into the LIV nightclub,

and $2,000 bottle service. The VIP section was $1000 minimum per person charge

. Of course, a 20% or more gratuity on top. The USA is the land of excess.

No need to let over the top tip expectation grip Thailand. 100 baht tip should be enough. 200 baht if you are a two- week millionaire or American. Of course,

more than that will happily be accepted it from stupid Farang. 

Edited May 1, 2018 by Ulic