How Much To Tip For A Body Massage Or Foot Massage ?

[Michigan]

Hi Everybody,

I will be coming to Pattaya again next week and was wondering what the going rate is for tipping the massage girls ?

A couple of years ago I spend a few days at the Mercur hotel and one of the hotel guest I befriended, got a pool side massage every afternoon at which he tipped so much that the massage girl decided to get married earlier than originally was planned because of the extra income <G>

I noticed that massage rates in Chiang Mai were less than in Pattaya, so on average would tipping 40 - 50% be ok ?

More for an oil massage ?

I figure that the girls are making $ 1.75 - 2.00 per hour, but I am not really sure about that.

Over here hairdressers get paid 50%, the house gets the other 50% for expenses.

Just wondering and

Still in

Michigan

[tropo]

"Up to you"

Unlike in the US, tipping is optional in Thailand. Don't concern yourself with how many dollars they make per hour. They make baht and spend baht in Thailand, and get far better value for their money.

And please, when you're not in the US give up the ridiculous notion of percentage tipping. Why should a worker get a bigger tip just because they're working in an establishment which charges more?

I personally tip a massage lady 40 or 50 baht, but if she does a lousy job she gets nothing, and believe me, there are plenty of pretend massage therapists in Pattaya.

Plenty of tourists don't tip. Tourists here come from all over the world and many nationalities don't tip.

"Up to you"

[gpdjohn]

Many years ago I was visiting a good friend in Bangers...they had a favorite massage shop and took me to it..I got a full body arm twisting, leg bending 2 hour session. It was the best I had ever had.

Thinking in my then AZ ways, I tipped the guy 500 baht.

My friend and his wife freaked out.

" What are you doing?" they both asked.

I explained on how good it was and at 300 baht I thought it would be a immoral if I didn't give 'em enough of a tip. I also was thinking on how much they made an hour and how hard the work was and that back home a massage like this would cost at least a hundred bucks.

My friends explained that I had to think like a Thai, not to think in terms of what things would cost back home and to act acordingly.

Since then I have toned it down, allot. Now, I tip as a thai would and generally think of things in Baht, not USD. ( 20 baht is good and the wife still gives me shit for tipping that much )

The massage shop in Bangers still ask when I will be coming back.

[tropo]

. ( 20 baht is good and the wife still gives me shit for tipping that much )

Yeah, because now that you're married you're giving away the wife's money.

[chivo]

i always say when in doubt give a liitle more than giving a little less. that extra few baht you give anyone; waitress, taxi driver, masseusse, makes their day and their life just a little bit better.

no one ever felt better being stingy. and if it does make you feel better, worth having a think about!

[Michigan]

Many years ago I was visiting a good friend in Bangers...they had a favorite massage shop and took me to it..I got a full body arm twisting, leg bending 2 hour session. It was the best I had ever had.

Thinking in my then AZ ways, I tipped the guy 500 baht.

My friend and his wife freaked out.

" What are you doing?" they both asked.

I explained on how good it was and at 300 baht I thought it would be a immoral if I didn't give 'em enough of a tip. I also was thinking on how much they made an hour and how hard the work was and that back home a massage like this would cost at least a hundred bucks.

My friends explained that I had to think like a Thai, not to think in terms of what things would cost back home and to act acordingly.

Since then I have toned it down, allot. Now, I tip as a thai would and generally think of things in Baht, not USD. ( 20 baht is good and the wife still gives me shit for tipping that much )

The massage shop in Bangers still ask when I will be coming back.

Hi thanks for your reply.

You did exactly was I have been doing.

Giving a tip based on how much effort they put in and how much it would cost at home.

Don't mind tipping high for exceptional service, but you don't get that too often.

Occasionally I find they should tip me, for enduring the treatment

Best foot massage I had two months ago in Chiang Mai by a very skilled male therapist;

cost 120 baht, I gave him 80 tip ; but he certainly deserved more than that based on my previous experiences.

The worst was in a place next to the lek hotel in Pattaya, if that one would have been my first I would never had a foot massage again !!

[still gave her a tip, although she certainly didn't deserve it]

[Michigan]

i always say when in doubt give a liitle more than giving a little less. that extra few baht you give anyone; waitress, taxi driver, masseusse, makes their day and their life just a little bit better.

no one ever felt better being stingy. and if it does make you feel better, worth having a think about!

I am with you.

But it is nice to have a baseline to work with.

Giving 10 times as much as avarage makes no sense unless it is exceptional !

Of course if my pension would be 10 times higher it wouldn't be an issue as prices are still very reasonable

[thaiman]

20-40 baht depending on service

[game4shame]

I will be coming to Pattaya again next week and was wondering what the going rate is for tipping the massage girls ?

depends on if you get a happy ending.

[allexx]

I will be coming to Pattaya again next week and was wondering what the going rate is for tipping the massage girls ?

depends on if you get a happy ending.

...nothing..why should u??...tip already priced in.

[chris2155]

As far as i am concerned tipping is a American thing,

in any country staff will welcome a tip, but it totally up to the customer.

the best i can make out, the ladies the massage work on a commission type basis, some 40-60, or 50-50%.

So as there payment is in the price why should you tip, but if you feel that you got extra good service, you can tip 10-20 baht,after all

20 baht buys a meal here. In my country i would be over the moon if some one tip me $10dollars for a meal.

but as the tipping thing has gone over the top here in Thailand, most service staff expect it now, i have seen some staff abuse customers that dont tip.

how sad,

[LtCol]

There is already a minimum of 10% alredy built in for Tips.

Answer to your question is NOTHING , unless it is exceptional

[gk10002000]

Foot massage going price is 200 baht, oil massage is 300 baht. A bit cheaper off of some side streets up by soi bukhao.

As a general rule I give 20% tip for personal services such as hair cuts, massages etc. So, baht for the foot massage and 60 baht for a good oil massage is reasonable. Sometimes I give 100 baht for an oil massage, especially if it is a good one and it is the in hotel service. Nice to relax in your own room.

I gave 20 baht for a foot massage once and the old lady was muttering under her breath. Not sure if her expectations were just higher and she was used to tourists tipping more.

[patklang]

If i have oil massage,the cost is 200 baht and very good,so i give 100 baht tip as i have been going to this place for years now.If my gf has a foot massage while i have oil i give 50 baht per girl tip.

Any massage places that charge 300 baht for oil i would only give 50 baht max,but i will continue to use my good palce

[tropo]

It's always a good idea to watch the clock. If you don't you may find that your tip has already been paid because your massage was 10 or 15 minutes short of the hour you were paying for.

[Michigan]

Foot massage going price is 200 baht, oil massage is 300 baht. A bit cheaper off of some side streets up by soi bukhao.

As a general rule I give 20% tip for personal services such as hair cuts, massages etc. So, baht for the foot massage and 60 baht for a good oil massage is reasonable. Sometimes I give 100 baht for an oil massage, especially if it is a good one and it is the in hotel service. Nice to relax in your own room.

I gave 20 baht for a foot massage once and the old lady was muttering under her breath. Not sure if her expectations were just higher and she was used to tourists tipping more.

Do all shops offer hotel service or is it off the books ?

Same price ?

I would to use my own shower after an oil massage

[Michigan]

If i have oil massage,the cost is 200 baht and very good,so i give 100 baht tip as i have been going to this place for years now.If my gf has a foot massage while i have oil i give 50 baht per girl tip.

Any massage places that charge 300 baht for oil i would only give 50 baht max,but i will continue to use my good palce

What place do you go to patklang ?

Do you always use the same girl ?

I don't mind tipping 100 baht if it is really good....!

[tropo]

I don't mind tipping 100 baht if it is really good....!

Nothing wrong with that. It will help to keep the girls in a good mood despite having received lousy tips all day from the rest of us.

[Scabo]

I agree with you Tropo. Just becaues you tip in the U.S doesnt

mean that you tip here in Thailand.

Unfortuanately Thais come to expected it. Every time you pay for

a service they are waiting for their tip.

O.K if your only over here for a few weeks on holidays.

Not cool if you live here!!

[tropo]

O.K if your only over here for a few weeks on holidays.

Not cool if you live here!!

If you're shy about not tipping you could always use a different massage palour every time - there's hundreds of them. There aren't too many good masseuses around, so it's always pot luck anyway.

[KamalaLove]

If a shop charges 300 baht for an hour the masseur recieves 100 baht or so I'm led to believe.

If a masseur works in a good shop and is busy 10 hours of her shift, that's a lot of effort, but it's also 1000 baht a day.

Plus tips. 50 baht is plenty if you feel like you should tip.

Here's a tip; if you find a shop with a great masseur, don't get her number, don't take her out and shag her,

you may not want to go back for seconds, but you will certainly miss that massage.

[gk10002000]

Foot massage going price is 200 baht, oil massage is 300 baht. A bit cheaper off of some side streets up by soi bukhao.

As a general rule I give 20% tip for personal services such as hair cuts, massages etc. So, baht for the foot massage and 60 baht for a good oil massage is reasonable. Sometimes I give 100 baht for an oil massage, especially if it is a good one and it is the in hotel service. Nice to relax in your own room.

I gave 20 baht for a foot massage once and the old lady was muttering under her breath. Not sure if her expectations were just higher and she was used to tourists tipping more.

Do all shops offer hotel service or is it off the books ?

Same price ?

I would to use my own shower after an oil massage

In general, I doubt all shops offer home service. Some do. Some hotels do. Flipper lodge, Flipper house, Eastiny Place I have stayed at in the past. As you say, it is nice to be in your own place, watch the TV, then shower or go up on the roof and hit the pool. In the summer when Flipper is discounted, I think it is a great place for a three week vacation, good price, good service and everything is easy. That is why I go to Thailand. Less hassles the better.

Some shops do home service. Just ask. I knew one gal that worked at different shops, and I would run into now and then and she would gladly come to my room between her hours. One shop up on Third road the girls and the owner would go home. No particular strings attached. So in general, I would recommend you stop in to a shop, get a massage. Once they know you I doubt they will mind going back to the room.

[Cuban]

You should consider that 'oil massage' is prefered by the person giving it - it requires much less effort on their part.

[tropo]

You should consider that 'oil massage' is prefered by the person giving it - it requires much less effort on their part.

No way! Sure, if the girl is lazy and just lightly rubbing her customer it won't require much effort, but done properly an oil massage is hard work.

[Michigan]

I agree with you Tropo. Just becaues you tip in the U.S doesnt

mean that you tip here in Thailand.

Unfortuanately Thais come to expected it. Every time you pay for

a service they are waiting for their tip.

O.K if your only over here for a few weeks on holidays.

Not cool if you live here!!

That's exactly why I posted the original message, I figured I was giving too much tip and spoiling it for everybody else.

Will be back in Pattaya next week and promise to keep the tipping down

[tropo]

That's exactly why I posted the original message, I figured I was giving too much tip and spoiling it for everybody else.

Will be back in Pattaya next week and promise to keep the tipping down

Yeah, try your best. It's going to be hard to stop a Yank from overtipping.

[soalbundy]

About an inch should be enough.

[bkk6060]

If it is good I always give 100.

You 20 b tippers is just Cheap Charlie and another reason this place dislikes you.

[champers]

Interesting to note from this thread that the prices for a massage now are the same as ten years ago. What inflation?

[Rimmer]

Ten year old topic

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