What is the tipping practice in Thailand ?

[spidermike007]

Just now, Jingthing said:

I think drivers deserve tips more than waiters, unless at fancy restaurants.

Never heard of a waiter killed bringing food to a table. 

That is a good point. I agree. But, I will continue to give service people a small tip at restaurants. They sure seem to be grateful for it. And it means nothing to me. 

[dingdongrb]

I have always been a pretty generous tipper. I find that by doing so I am treated differently during future visits. (Perhaps fans positioned towards me or larger portions of pork in my soup....etc.) I also find it rewarding to reward others for doing a good serviced task. (karma)

 

My most memorable moment about tipping was 20 years or so ago when I lived in Southern China. I bought a pack of cigarettes which I believe was 7 or 8 rmb at the time. I gave the clerk a 10 rmb note, gestured her to keep the change and proceeded to leave the store. She came running out of the store down the street waving the change at me. I kind of moved her arm back away from me informing her I didn't want the 2 or 3 rmb change. She insisted I take it and actually tossed it at my feet and ran off back to the store.

 

The next day at work I asked one of my Chinese colleagues about what had occurred. He said that the Chinese are not accustomed to tipping and the clerk didn't want to be blamed for 'stealing' the money, thus refusing the tip. 

[dingdongrb]

10 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I think drivers deserve tips more than waiters, unless at fancy restaurants.

Never heard of a waiter killed bringing food to a table. 

I'm guessing that any driver killed by making a food delivery fits in one of these categories:

 

- Wearing no helmet

- Not following road rules (speeding, weaving in/out of traffic, not signaling, etc.)

- Looking at his/her phone

 

NOTE: I always tip delivery drivers.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

If at hotel I tend to give 100 baht to guy taking bags to room. But sometimes one of the staff take you to room and show you and do a fair bit and a different guy brings a couple of the bags and that’s it. Tip one Tip both Not sure

[EVENKEEL]

The  coins always, sometimes more.

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

One thing I can't shake.

Overtipping barbers especially if I'm using them regularly. 

It's definitely not the Thai custom but I just can't help it. 

Yes, if I overtip, usually barbers too. Used to be, until a few years ago, that my haircut cost 60 baht, and me tipping 10 baht, meaning 1/6th.

I still usually tip 10 baht, but at 150 baht now, it is less than 10 percent. (Same barber, though, so over time it worked out for him.) Not keen to raise it to 20 baht, and a 15-baht-tip would probably result in being called 'cheap' ('Why didn't he tip a twenty?') behind my back, so, for now it is still 10 baht. - Sometimes I overtip taxi drivers, rounding up with more than 10 percent, either because they are friendly, or me not bothering to wait for them to search for coins. (Exceptions for taxi drivers from the airport who refuse to use the meter; they get no tip.)

Edited August 19, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[Captain Monday]

How much do Indians tip? Chinese?

[still kicking]

14 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

How much do Indians tip? Chinese?

Who cares that was not the question 

[still kicking]

I always tip, even my Thai wife does I don't tip the barber anymore because she cut's my hair (my Thai wife)

Edited August 20, 2023 by still kicking

[still kicking]

If you live in Thailand as an Ex-Pat and you don't tip you are a cheap charley. Every day I read on AN how cheap it is to live in Thailand, but you can't spare a few baht for a tip. I won't say anymore.

[cobra]

On 8/19/2023 at 5:27 AM, spidermike007 said:

.... One can always find what they think might be a valid excuse for being unkind and cheap. I can't. Same applies to restaurants. Just because the locals don't. 

I fully agree, personally I've seldom seen a tip go unappreciated or to whatever extent was not of some benefit.

Cheap Charlies will always decry that westerners are spoiling the locals by over-tipping,

they'll rationalize any and every reason to under tip, or not tip at all and that's fair, each to their own.

 

I even tip the contracted Burmese beggar with her dirty faced baby or the crawling armless though I know they'll probably never receive much or anything I give them.

 

I've done well in this life, yes, I'm that westerner who tips heavy and makes the rest of you look cheap, not to mention the spit-free coffee I'll enjoy, lol 

 

 

 

[bunnydrops]

On 8/19/2023 at 5:01 AM, scubascuba3 said:

Yep, boss needs to pay more if staff aren't paid enough, it's the bosses responsibility not customers

Yes, put a no tipping sign outside, raise the price of the food and pay the staff more. Anyway, the way I heard it is that Thais will usually leave the coins and those that want every baht are considered "sticky s**ts". I usually leave something. I don't think it is good to over tip as it may look a bit condescending. My father who was in the Navy back in the 50's told me they were instructed to never let the Japanese see how much money you had in your wallet when buying something as they saw as an insult.

[DonniePeverley]

I do feel for some of these massage girls, especially around walking street. Massage after massage - and certain groups you just know aren't going to give them a single tip. 

 

I will always tip a massage, even though i am against the principle of tipping automatically. 

[DonniePeverley]

2 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

How much do Indians tip? Chinese?

Coming from certain cultures, i believe they don't understand the concept of a tip. If you explain to them - that you not only pay for the thing you have bought, but then pay a little bit extra afterwards they look at you like you just told them osmosis is the movement of particles from a high concentration to a low concentration through a semi permeable membrane. 

 

On the other spectrum tipping is just out of control over in America. Just ridiculous. 

[blazes]

 

If you receive good service and you expect to return to that restaurant soon, a good tip will ALWAYS guarantee even better service next time.

[Scouse123]

On 8/19/2023 at 7:15 PM, KannikaP said:

Come on SAD person, WHY?

He means Leave Americans at home, not just Americanisms.

 

BTW don't shoot the messenger.

[pomchop]

On 8/19/2023 at 1:37 AM, Jingthing said:

Round up or nothing for cheap meal.

20 baht per person for a modest meal.

30 to 50 baht per person for an expensive meal.

Forget percentages. You're not in Kansas anymore.

If service charge has been added, then it gets tricky as often the restaurant just takes that money.

Agree...unless u are in some la de da overpriced restaurant (that likely already adds a service charge) tipping as a percent of the bill is rare in my experience and is one thing i love about thailand compared to usa...never quite got the idea that if i sit at a usa bar and order a "cheap"  beer for say $5 and i give the bartender $1 usd tip for every beer he brings me that if that same bar i order a $10 beer that i should give him $2 for every beer when all i have done is bought an overpriced beer that requires the exact same effort to serve as a cheap beer....does that make any sense at all? 

 

And of course now in USA anyway you can't walk out the door and buy a newspaper or a bottle of water without somebody shoving a tip request in your face....it has gotten totally out of control.

 

I have tipped some thais well over what even 30% would be on a simple meal because they were wonderful people who gave me great service with a smile and seemed to expect nothing... i personally get more joy out of that then tipping some bad service overpriced restaurant server 30% on a meal that wasn't worth even that amount of tip.

 

UP to YOU.

[Scouse123]

7 minutes ago, blazes said:

 

If you receive good service and you expect to return to that restaurant soon, a good tip will ALWAYS guarantee even better service next time.

No it doesn't and you are putting western values on it. Over here you are forgotten as soon as you walk out the door.

 

Tipping was not an expected thing and WAS brought here by the Americans. Let's not go down the American values system about ' they are working their way through college and blah blah ' this is not the USA.

 

Nor is tipping common in Vietnam or Cambodia and certainly not in Singapore and it's insulting in Japan.

 

If it makes you feel better, then do it, however it is not the norm. You also now, because of these ' imported traits '  may have noticed all of a sudden, the not so subtle boxes, in the back of taxis announcing ' tips ' and appearing at reception areas in hotels and even bars. We have moved from ' gratuitous to expected '

 

They've jumped on to something and the natural state of progression is then to pull faces at the person behind their back when they don't give or live up to expected tipping practices for what can be at times, poor service.

[Scouse123]

Even in the UK now in average restaurants it is common practice to add service charge and leave it to the customer to then deduct it if they think it not acceptable.

 

I find this in poor taste to put the onus on the customer and making them look like a ' cheap charlie '  if they don't tip. It has crept in to UK society and we should kick back to the practice of ' service as at the discretion of the bill payer '

 

There are livable minimum salary rates set in the UK for staff involved in the hospitality trade.

 

In Thailand I personally do tip bellboys, car park attendants in hotels, room maids but that is my personal choice, I do not think it should be the norm or expected.

[rwill]

In general most Thai's don't tip.

 

[blazes]

1 hour ago, Scouse123 said:

No it doesn't and you are putting western values on it. Over here you are forgotten as soon as you walk out the door.

 

Tipping was not an expected thing and WAS brought here by the Americans. Let's not go down the American values system about ' they are working their way through college and blah blah ' this is not the USA.

 

Nor is tipping common in Vietnam or Cambodia and certainly not in Singapore and it's insulting in Japan.

 

If it makes you feel better, then do it, however it is not the norm. You also now, because of these ' imported traits '  may have noticed all of a sudden, the not so subtle boxes, in the back of taxis announcing ' tips ' and appearing at reception areas in hotels and even bars. We have moved from ' gratuitous to expected '

 

They've jumped on to something and the natural state of progression is then to pull faces at the person behind their back when they don't give or live up to expected tipping practices for what can be at times, poor service.

Sad to read this attempted self-justification of chronic stinginess.

[Captain Monday]

2 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

On the other spectrum tipping is just out of control over in America. Just ridiculous. 

Even the Starbucks mobile app. A tip to collect for grab and go coffee with no interaction whatsoever?Having to go thru a "suggested tip" screen when picking up take out food. We will be expected to tip supermarket checkout staff soon there are already tip jars everywhere

 

 

 

 

 

[scubascuba3]

I do tip a little in restaurants, have to really as staff are preoccupied by the tips (bosses fault for that) and they can become tip nazis if you don't. Not as if service is complex, take the order and deliver it.

 

I'd quite like a restaurant where you pick up your orders kinda same as McDonald's, a few bars like that, works well, go to the fridge pick a drink and pay for it

[1FinickyOne]

On 8/19/2023 at 4:48 PM, KannikaP said:

Reading the headline I was ready to say 'Anywhere they can find space' ! But didn't!

yes you did

[1FinickyOne]

On 8/19/2023 at 7:31 PM, Jingthing said:

Never heard of a waiter killed bringing food to a table. 

Sure, you eat at all the finer places.... 

[Skipalongcassidy]

On 8/19/2023 at 5:51 PM, KannikaP said:

Please delete the 'ism' from your post! 555

 

On 8/19/2023 at 6:15 PM, KhunLA said:

Actually, them Yanks picked tipping up from them Euro folks.

 

"But wealthy Americans, visiting Europe, brought the practice to the U.S. in the mid-1800s, unsurprisingly eager to mimic European customs. "

Yank origin of ...

True... then the euros stopped and said good riddance to the idea, but being generous in nature many Americans still tip as do I... it's the decent thing to do.  That said, I will say that in Thailand it is just giving money to the less fortunate workers... it does nothing to improve on there service to the customer... they just don't understand.

[soi3eddie]

Tipping anywhere (not just Thailand)?

English: 0-10%

Aussies: 0%

Kiwis: -5%

Yanks: 20%

Europeans: 0%

Indians and Chinese: No chance

Scots: You're avin' a laff what's a TIP?

 

[Scouse123]

39 minutes ago, blazes said:

Sad to read this attempted self-justification of chronic stinginess.

A bigoted response.

[blazes]

10 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

A bigoted response.

The red mist of a Liverpool F.C. supporter....that obscures the truth reflected from the mirror.

Edited August 21, 2023 by blazes

[HappyExpat57]

I always tip my barber 100 baht, the cut is 300 baht to the shop.

 

She's cute and always goes above and beyond.