If I'm in a bar and a complete stranger rings the bell for drinks all round, then, as long as the guy isn't loudly, obnoxiously drunk, I always buy him a drink before I leave the bar.

I think this is just good manners, even knowing that I'm under no obligation to do so.

as long as the guy isn't loudly, obnoxiously drunk, I always buy him a drink before I leave the bar.

Same here.

Not that I spend much time in bars though...

Not that I spend much time in bars though... 

cough,cough....no, me neither.

Not that I spend much time in bars though... 

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cough,cough....no, me neither.

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big &lt;deleted&gt; DITTO from me too...cough,cough,burp

I used to drink in the tightly packed bar area down Soi2 in Pattaya (back in the late 80s early 90s when nearly all the bars used to be packed.

'Yut's bar' was the hang out of the Oil and Gas expats and as such we had quite a few bell ringers.

I've seen freeloaders who could spot a man reaching for the bar bell from a distance of three bars back - In the short time it takes for the ringer to grab the cord and get the fist chime the freeloader could down the remenants of his luke warm Sing, gobble the last of the peanuts he'd been trying to make last all night, slip his bar receipts into an unsuspecting victims bill pot and dash the distance across to join the bell ringer before the last chime sounds - managing to get a seat into the bargain.

He departs of course, just as the roast pig at the bar down the road is ready for carving - arriving at that feast with the proclamaintion "I'm a friend of Lek's"

If someone sends you a christmas card to you feel obligated to send them one next year? I don't. If someone buys me a drink I say, "Thank you very much!" and raise my glass to him and then take a sip. If everyone in a bar bought the bell ringer a drink it would often be too many!!!

It depends on what type of bar I'm in. If I'm in a small cosy bar with a friendly atmosphere and the ringer seems like a decent bloke, I will genually offer to return the bell ringer a drink.

However if the ringer is one of those loud obnoxious guys who rings the bell to impress all the girls in the bar and I just happen to be there, then Cheers Mate!! You've saved me 100 or so baht.

I've seen freeloaders who could spot a man reaching for the bar bell from a distance of three bars back - In the short time it takes for the ringer to grab the cord and get the fist chime the freeloader could down the remenants of his luke warm Sing, gobble the last of the peanuts he'd been trying to make last all night, slip his bar receipts into an unsuspecting victims bill pot and dash the distance across to join the bell ringer before the last chime sounds - managing to get a seat into the bargain.

He departs of course, just as the roast pig at the bar down the road is ready for carving - arriving at that feast with the proclamaintion "I'm a friend of Lek's"

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he he he - sounds like somebody I know

Depends on the mood Im in and the Bar, so 50% of teh time, buy them a drink and the other 50% it will be a "Thanks nicely' with a raising of the glass "Chownah" style

I will always raise my glass of beer to the bell ringer and drink to his health.

Next, I will swallow the free beer in a few gulps, lick my lips in appreciation of his kind gesture.

Then, I will dare the bell ringer to ring the bell again.