Tipping The Massage Lady

[Igor 22]

My ladyfriend says I overtip the massage lady. Of course, she says the same thing every time I tip anyone. But, I'm a little sensitive about the massage thing. I have a friend in the US who makes her living as a massage therapist. I know how hard she works and how much she depends on tips. I've heard rumors the local massage people get a very tiny amount of the fee charged and really work for tips. Others have told me they get about half the fee and I shouldn't tip so much. I don't know.

Not that I think I'm going way overboard. I go to one of two places. One is a low end "spa" that starts off every session with a relaxing foot bath, a cup of green tea and lots of smiles and generally a happy experience. They charge B200 per hour for traditional Thai massage. I usually give her B100 on top of that.

The other place I go to is a no frills shop and charge B150/hour. Although the girl I ask for does a pretty good job, it seems impersonal. I drop B200 and walk out. No one seems unhappy. Not even me.

So, I'm just wondering, do you think I'm tipping too much? Not enough? No answers are going to get me to lower my tips to these two ladies. I would see that as an insult. However, if you can convince me I'm undertipping, they are in for a raise.

[Loz 80]

sounds like the ladies are guaranteed a happy ending. Nice to see a role reversal in the land of smiles.

[gotlost 44]

The massage I use charges 300 baht for 2 hours They split the fee 50/50. I still give the lady a 100 baht tip.

Edited September 19, 2010 by gotlost

[boredinbangkok 1]

In Soviet Russia, the Massage Lady tips you!

Just kidding.. some thai people told me to tip them decent, or its some lose face kind of thing.

In some upscale places in Ratchada your expected to tip 1,000 where the initial massage price is between 3 and 5,000 baht..

So your not tipping to less in my opinion..

[Loz 80]

In Soviet Russia, the Massage Lady tips you!

Just kidding.. some thai people told me to tip them decent, or its some lose face kind of thing.

In some upscale places in Ratchada your expected to tip 1,000 where the initial massage price is between 3 and 5,000 baht..

So your not tipping to less in my opinion..

Wow, they really saw the punters cuming

[longstebe 1222]

50 baht.

[mca 4275]

The massage I use charges 300 baht for 2 hours They split the fee 50/50. I still give the lady a 100 baht tip.

Exactly the same situation as me.

[ilyelol 10]

my current therapist is her own boss. she asks for 180 an hour, i give 120 in tip because she's from a spa which means id have to pay over 1000 for her massage if she hadnt started her own place

In small places, 150baht or 200baht massage, i always give 100baht, unless it sucks then i give 20baht

100baht places, i gave 50baht but i dont recommend going there, they're mostly terrible.

300baht massage, always gave 100 aswell.

Spas, about 200-300.

It's not like tipping a lot will affect future prices,so go ahead and make them happy if they are working hard.

[Tonto21 597]

In Soviet Russia, the Massage Lady tips you!

Just kidding.. some thai people told me to tip them decent, or its some lose face kind of thing.

In some upscale places in Ratchada your expected to tip 1,000 where the initial massage price is between 3 and 5,000 baht..

So your not tipping to less in my opinion..

3 and 5,000 bt !

[Tonto21 597]

If you have had a good service, 50 or 100Bt why not!

[tangcoral 101]

Generally if the service was good, most thais tip minimum 50 baht but 100 baht is common if the service was great. I rarely see anyone tip more than 100 baht.

[naboo 2487]

The place I go to charges 200B/hr, 300B/2hrs. The massage girls (Burmese) get 50B/hr of massage. I give 400B for 2 hrs, 100B tip, so she gets 200B in total, and probably doesn't get another customer all day in low season.

My regular lady told me a colleague of mine had been in and asked for a 2hr oil massage, very strong. He gave no tip, and her hands ached so much she couldn't work for the next day. Needless to say, the next time she gave him a very bad massage. He hasn't been back.

[Beetlejuice 5712]

The OP says he will not consider lowering his tip to these 2 ladies whatever anyone says. If that's the case, not sure why he has bothered to ask the question in the first place?

These last of the big spenders types really get up my nose.

I never tip more than 20 baht for a basic no frills massage, maybe 50 baht for an excellent service and if the massage is a load of crap I do not tip at all.

The problem is that those who give these over generous tips believe they are doing a kind deed, but in fact are actually putting the kibber in for everyone else, because these women will become to expect these sort of tips and justify the old myth that all farangs are rich, so why shouldn't they pay more then anybody else.

Same applies when tipping in restaurants and for other services. In the end the highflying tippers are not doing anyone any favours, just increasing the cost of living and entertainments for everyone else.

Edited September 19, 2010 by Beetlejuice

[peanut 8]

I also give 100 baht if the massage was good. I don't give anything if it was bad.

(and I usually go to the places that charge 250-300 per 2 hours)

I asked a Thai person a while ago how much she tips and she said the same figure(and her salary was about a third of mine)

So I think this is the usual, not only for farang. I think it's a fair amount considering the work and how much they get paid and I certainly don't consider myself "a big spender". I hardly doubt this will increase the cost of living for anyone...

[ilyelol 10]

The OP says he will not consider lowering his tip to these 2 ladies whatever anyone says. If that's the case, not sure why he has bothered to ask the question in the first place?

These last of the big spenders types really get up my nose.

I never tip more than 20 baht for a basic no frills massage, maybe 50 baht for an excellent service and if the massage is a load of crap I do not tip at all.

The problem is that those who give these over generous tips believe they are doing a kind deed, but in fact are actually putting the kibber in for everyone else, because these women will become to expect these sort of tips and justify the old myth that all farangs are rich, so why shouldn't they pay more then anybody else.

Same applies when tipping in restaurants and for other services. In the end the highflying tippers are not doing anyone any favours, just increasing the cost of living and entertainments for everyone else.

It's not our fault that you are dirt poor.

EVery single poor thai that gets 1 massage a month tips MINIMUM 50BAHT

You come from a trailer park, dont you? Advising other people to be as cheap as you to people who work very hard is disgusting.

And im not talking about the cheap 100baht/hr place, those places 20baht should be fine because they have not studied.(but why would anyone go there?)

Edited September 19, 2010 by ilyelol

[NormanW 767]

50 baht.

50 baht 1 hour 100 baht 2 hours

[mca 4275]

EVery single poor thai that gets 1 massage a month tips MINIMUM 50BAHT

Link please

[Igor 22]

The OP says he will not consider lowering his tip to these 2 ladies whatever anyone says. If that's the case, not sure why he has bothered to ask the question in the first place?

These last of the big spenders types really get up my nose.

I never tip more than 20 baht for a basic no frills massage, maybe 50 baht for an excellent service and if the massage is a load of crap I do not tip at all. ... In the end the highflying tippers are not doing anyone any favours, just increasing the cost of living and entertainments for everyone else.

I would not lower my tipping for the sole reason that it would be seen as a rebuke. But if the group had indicated I was over tipping, I would keep that in mind at any new place I might choose. But, in fact, it looks like I am just about right with the majority of the group.

Please accept my sincere apology if my tipping activity increases your cost of living. Somehow I doubt anything we can say would cause you to tip more. I truly hope I have not gotten up your nose. I suspect it really blows.

[mca 4275]

Too tenuous by half transam mate. 3/10

[geriatrickid 21399]

The massage I use charges 300 baht for 2 hours They split the fee 50/50. I still give the lady a 100 baht tip.

Exactly the same situation as me.

It's about 200 baht for a little under 1 hour in the shops down the soi from my crib. I usually give 100 baht. It is a token of appreciation for the service and kindness shown. No soapy suds or sexy hijinks for me, Just a regular massage. (less than the cost of a singha

[onnut 98]

Why just give them a tip? Give them the whole length!

Just kidding.

I normaly tip massage girls 100 for an hours work. Same for haircut and all that as well.

These girls don't earn much so let's help them out a little.

[mca 4275]

^^Here. Let me help.

I recently tried a new massage place. I explained to the masseuse that I'd been having a problem with throbbing, stiffness and rigidity in parts of my body and to my delight she soon expertly took the matter in hand. At the climax, after realizing that I only had about 300 baht on me, I ended up blowing my whole wad on her.

Edited September 19, 2010 by mca

[onnut 98]

That was cheap mca.

[mca 4275]

Cheap as in tight arse or cheap as in poor use of double entendres?

[anothertorres 11]

"it's not tipping i believe in, so much as it is, over tipping."

[lovelomsak 6005]

I amnot a big tipper in Thailand simply because when i first started coming here tipping wasnot done. 20 years ago people didnot tip in Thailand. There are stiil restaurants and coffee shops where I live that return tips . The owners state that if you like their place of business simply be regular customer and patronize their establishment. Some see tippng as putting them down as being poor or lazy.They feel better about regular customers who come because the product and service is good and helping to build their business. So I am very careful about who I tip.

Edited September 19, 2010 by lovelomsak

[balo 12991]

I amnot a big tipper in Thailand simply because when i first started coming here tipping wasnot done. 20 years ago people didnot tip in Thailand. There are stiil restaurants and coffee shops where I live that return tips . The owners state that if you like their place of business simply be regular customer and patronize their establishment. Some see tippng as putting them down as being poor or lazy.They feel better about regular customers who come because the product and service is good and helping to build their business. So I am very careful about who I tip.

Excactly , I agree be careful with who you tip. But for the massage I always tip , if its 150 baht most of the time I tip 50 baht.

I never tip in my local coffee shop. .

[mca 4275]

The owners state that if you like their place of business simply be regular customer and patronize their establishment.

Which is all well and good for an owner to say. The tip isn't intended for them.

[onnut 98]

The owners state that if you like their place of business simply be regular customer and patronize their establishment.

Which is all well and good for an owner to say. The tip isn't intended for them.

yeah thats a bit off for an owner to say that.I hope they pay there staff well.

[mca 4275]

When I first came to Khon Kaen and had my car serviced I tried to tip the mechanic. He told me they weren't allowed to accept tips. Found out later from an acquaintance who used to work there that the lads were on minimum wage.

Nice red number plate S Class Benz parked outside the bosses window though.