Hi Everyone

Have any of you experienced this?

A restaurant has ++ price, so 10% Service Charge and plus 7% VAT and then when you ask for Corporate VAT receipt they can not provide one?

This happened twice for me, First time at a Restaurant I can not recall which one and Recently in a Korean BBQ at Udomsuk, They had a big sign say +VAT so you should know. And when asking for a VAT receipt they said they can not provide one and I asked how come? Answer was No can not, we have no Service Charge... So I would guess they call it VAT but is a Service Charge and they never pay anything to Revenue Department.

By the way, I hate the ++ on the price in the menu and they have it I seldom or never give any tip. I consider print Business cards that state "Service Charge = NO TIP !" and leave instead. Many Countries the ++ way Illegal.

The VAT receipt issue is a fair question. Everything after that feels like you're looking for something to be annoyed about.

Not tipping because a service charge has already been added is fair but a personal choice.

Carrying around cards saying "Service Charge = NO TIP!" is just petty. And jumping from a missing VAT receipt to assuming the restaurant isn't paying tax is speculation without any evidence.

What started as a valid consumer complaint quickly turns into a crusade over a few baht.

Our last dinner at the Korean BBQ was a company event where I hosted 10 people, the VAT amount was 700 Baht, its not a few baht, rather many I would say, And its 700 Baht less for our Company to pay in Taxes.

When I eat private I never care about VAT, but for Corporate accounting reasons its important.

25 minutes ago, Eaglekott said:

Our last dinner at the Korean BBQ was a company event where I hosted 10 people, the VAT amount was 700 Baht, its not a few baht, rather many I would say, And its 700 Baht less for our Company to pay in Taxes.

When I eat private I never care about VAT, but for Corporate accounting reasons its important.

700 baht for a company should not be a huge deal — it still only 7% of the bill — move on and choose another BBQ next time, you can ask in advance if they provide a vat-receipt.

No Its not a big deal, its more a question if many places charge VAT and never pay Revenue department, but keep it in their own pocket. Also a 7% deduction of TAX and a Corporate receipt lower the revenue of the company so the company has to pay less income tax Less income tax for 10,700.- Receipts with no VAT is not deductible from income tax for a company. Not a big deal, but its not right to claim 7% VAT and can not give a receipt. With that said most places can get you a receipt, but some times it can take 30 minutes to get it.

20 hours ago, Eaglekott said:

Our last dinner at the Korean BBQ was a company event where I hosted 10 people, the VAT amount was 700 Baht, its not a few baht, rather many I would say, And its 700 Baht less for our Company to pay in Taxes.

If you need a receipt for a company event, it's best to discuss this at the time of booking your table. If they cannot provide the paperwork you require, book elsewhere.

if any establishment charge you vat they should be able to prove it.

Most retailers do. Why not restaurants?.

26 minutes ago, jippytum said:

als een vestiging u een btw in rekening brengt, moeten zij dit kunnen bewijzen.

De meeste retailers wel. Waarom geen restaurants?.

Indeed, under the guise of VAT, and then pocketing the money themselves – and there are actually people on this forum who approve of that.

In Thai, I think it's called a "Phaiset Phanee" - could be wrong.

It's a formal documents with the establishments name at the top, and a whole lot of other info needed.

I just needed a formal receipt for some meds I got at a Boots to send to my insurance company, but the only way they could give me that (with my name and theirs on the receipt) was to do a VAT receipt. So that's what they did. But it took them 10 minutes of filling in all the form and printing it in the back room.

In the western country I came from, restaurants must price their menu including VAT.

For companies the VAT on 'representation' is not deductable, the whole amount as such is however. What Thailand excise dept. requires I don't know.

It's rife in Bangkok malls and central tourists areas.

Why not just add the VAT onto the menu price shown? What other area of retail does this in Thailand - none really.

It's just a sneaky after charge isn't it.

The Americanisation of the service charge is also disgusting. I tip for good service not just have it added on automatically without choice.

On 6/12/2026 at 11:47 AM, Eaglekott said:

Our last dinner at the Korean BBQ was a company event where I hosted 10 people, the VAT amount was 700 Baht, its not a few baht, rather many I would say, And its 700 Baht less for our Company to pay in Taxes.

When I eat private I never care about VAT, but for Corporate accounting reasons its important.

Assuming its a deductible expense?

36 minutes ago, MRMOUSE said:

Assuming its a deductible expense?

Yes, We had an event for a new product launch with a few staff and Potential customers.

What's always got my goat are ++ charges in hotel restaurants. I'm sure they pay enough rent to the hotels so as not to have to dick their customers.

What gets under my skin is some restaurants that add service charge and then charge the VAT on the service charge as well as the meal.

On 6/17/2026 at 3:10 PM, ronnie50 said:

What gets under my skin is some restaurants that add service charge and then charge the VAT on the service charge as well as the meal.

I think they all do since service charge is a subject to VAT, they should forbid this ++ and force everywhere to show the actual price in the menue like in most if not all European countries

3 minutes ago, Eaglekott said:

I think they all do since service charge is a subject to VAT, they should forbid this ++ and force everywhere to show the actual price in the menue like in most if not all European countries

More restaurants in Bangkok are adding service charge to the bill. A few that come to mind are Fuji, S&P, big hotel resaurants like Marriott. Black Canyon doesn't.

On 6/17/2026 at 1:52 PM, unblocktheplanet said:

What's always got my goat are ++ charges in hotel restaurants. I'm sure they pay enough rent to the hotels so as not to have to dick their customers.

Me too. We sometimes stay in big international chains. Three of us, and so we look for the rooms that have 3 person occupancy with the price on the screen for that room. But when you choose that room, it's not until the final page where you add your CC details that you realize they are charging like 50% more per night for an extra bed and then ++ on that. If your room includes breakfast they charge extra for the 3rd person for that too. My point is if they claim the room is a 3 person occupancy and you made clear at the beginning it's 1 room, 3 people, then the original price should be honored.