Money Comparisons

[soi lurker]

You have obviously noticed that things are getting more and more expensive in thailand as time goes bye. You just have to look at the reasons why, one of them is westeners mess it up because they come over and pay more than top dollar because they are still thinking in Dollar terms. Some people will never realize that 1-2-3000 baht is a lot of money in thai terms, westernization, here we come.....

[Siam_superfly]

You have obviously noticed that things are getting more and more expensive in thailand as time goes bye. You just have to look at the reasons why, one of them is westeners mess it up because they come over and pay more than top dollar because they are still thinking in Dollar terms. Some people will never realize that 1-2-3000 baht is a lot of money in thai terms, westernization, here we come.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Tell that to the 2 week a year , big paying, Japanese GoGo bar tourist....

[soi lurker]

exactly, thats what im talking about, ruins it for everyone.......

[Kerryd]

exactly, thats what im talking about, ruins it for everyone.......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, I for one will haggle over the price of some things, but I'm not shy about spending, or giving a good tip if warranted.

One night recently, I had a 4,500 baht bin in a certain establishment. The mamsan was going to knock 20% off (her being a friend and a little mao). I told her not to worry about it. Could have saved myself 900 baht.

One of the staff mentioned that my bin was almost exactly the same as she makes in a month (which is quite abit less than I make a day here). A 200 baht tip is more than a day's wages for her. For me, it's less than 15 minute's wages. (That 200 baht tip to her personally also gauranteed me excellent service every other time I went back there).

Eventually, I may settle down and become a Cheap Charlie like some others, arguing over paying 5 baht extra for baht bus fare. Until then, I guess I'll keep spreading the wealth around, helping out those quite abit less fortunate than I, to try and make a better life.

[soi lurker]

Spread the wealth around? why not, im never shy of tipping, good service or just a pleasant personality warrants reward, but make no mistake, its easy for people to get used MAJOR reward, so much so that when little reward is STILL given, sometimes you catch a look thats suggests your being cheap. Meaning, it can dictate how much is expected to be paid next time.....Food for thought.......

[ProThaiExpat]

When I came to Thailand three years to live out my remaing days, I was committed to living with the Baht and rarely mentally convert the baht cost to dollar cost.

I rarely tip more than the coins left with the change, what most Thais do.

However, after a trip to Pattaya where a 200 baht foot massage is normally accompanied by a 100 baht tip, and you are really looked down on if you don't, I returned to Chiang Mai and was caught by creeping Bahtism.

I took my daughter and son-in-law for a foot massage, 150 Baht for an hour and as we left, I tipped each girl, 100 Baht.

Upon reflection, I kicked myself up one side and down the other. I can't ratonalize over tipping. When converted the tip to 2.50USD for an hour of foot massage, I saw how foolish I was. In the U.S. most would not tip more than 50% for a simple service!!

I was most surprised with my "thinking Baht" letting me down. Perhaps it was the "tourist" mentality of Pattaya, both for me and Thais, that did it.

I have found that most service, except in hotel dinning rooms, to be poor in Thailand, so my motivation to tip is low. Even with only two dinners present, rarely do they get the orders right. Poor training is my take on this as the Hard Rock Cafe in Pattaya had superior restaurant service, truly world class.

[kyb789]

You have obviously noticed that things are getting more and more expensive in thailand as time goes bye. You just have to look at the reasons why, one of them is westeners mess it up because they come over and pay more than top dollar because they are still thinking in Dollar terms. Some people will never realize that 1-2-3000 baht is a lot of money in thai terms, westernization, here we come.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It ruins it for the Thais too. And for the local farangs living on a Thai wage, etc, etc. Do I need to go on? If you want to be fair, then leave the 15% tip one would expect to leave in America. If it is only 5 baht, what's wrong with that? I don't think many of us realize how "being generous" just because we can afford it really screws things up in a country like this. I left a 20 baht tip for a beer once in a go-go bar, and was scorned by the whole staff. The waitress banged the metal tray on the table over and over so loud the whole bar was looking. Give me a break! Its the over tipping that has brought the whole system down.

My expat friend remembers not too many years ago the bar girls only asked for 500 baht LT. Now its nothing less than 1000 baht. It affects us all, and ultimately the price of oil.

[Heng]

So just increase your own personal revenue. It's completely natural to want to purchase better service than others.

[soi lurker]

When I came to Thailand three years to live out my remaing days, I was committed to living with the Baht and rarely mentally convert the baht cost to dollar cost.

I rarely tip more than the coins left with the change, what most Thais do.

However, after a trip to Pattaya where a 200 baht foot massage is normally accompanied by a 100 baht tip, and you are really looked down on if you don't, I returned to Chiang Mai and was caught by creeping Bahtism.

I took my daughter and son-in-law for a foot massage, 150 Baht for an hour and as we left, I tipped each girl, 100 Baht. 

Upon reflection, I kicked myself up one side and down the other.  I can't ratonalize over tipping.  When converted the tip to 2.50USD for an hour of foot massage, I saw how foolish I was.  In the U.S. most would not tip more than 50% for a simple service!!

I was most surprised with my "thinking Baht" letting me down.  Perhaps it was the "tourist" mentality of Pattaya, both for me and Thais, that did it. 

I have found that most service, except in hotel dinning rooms, to be poor in Thailand, so my motivation to tip is low. Even with only two dinners present, rarely do they get the orders right.  Poor training is my take on this as the Hard Rock Cafe in Pattaya had superior restaurant service, truly world class.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think your right PTE, sensible approach......

[gburns57au]

its all about setting standards.

The guys that over tip or pay top dollar on negotiable goods and services are only setting the bar higher and higher not just for others but for themselves as well.

And most of all you are raising the expectations of the receivers of the tips etc...