Tipping In Thailand During Long Term Stay

[TongueThaied]

If a young serving girl tops up my beer and I don't touch the bottle, they get a tip, if they cuddle up to me while they pour, they get a bigger tip.

It does indeed seem that the closer they cuddle, the bigger the tip.

I'm confused. Which tip gets bigger?

[bristolgeoff]

if you go to a bar and buy a lady drink then the lady gets money.often i go to the bar talk to a friend and i buy her a drink.so tipping helps her it may be small but many drinks help her.it all depends on who provides the service in chaingmai.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I do know that in my own business, Thais are never a problem, but a small percentage of foreigners are extremely nasty and rude to the Thai employees. They almost always back down and change completely when I interrupt and tell them that it is my business and say exactly the same thing as the Thai employee. These ignorant creeps are the types that ruin it for the rest of us as some Thais that work with foreigners lump us all together after a while.

They are a small minority of travelers, but they certainly stick out.

And expat residents too.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Wages are set by the government, and in the end the employer is responsible to pay his staff fairly. Why should the customer (especially tourists) worry about wages, his responsibility is to have enough bahts to pay for his product.

Anything the government does is often completely detached from what really goes on. Please tell me that all massage ladies in all massage shops are properly on the payroll, make minimum wage and have social insurance.

[drnkurmlkshk]

When I go out to eat at a food stand I do not tip. If it is a sit down place I usually tip about 30 baht for a standard place. For a nicer place I make it about 50 instead. If I frequent the place a *lot* - like it becomes my regular joint - then I usually give them an extra big tip (like 1000 baht) yearly or so.

I only tip for transportation if I thought the price was fair to begin with. I don't really like haggling over 50 baht to much so usually I just accept the rip off price and then tip nothing. If they give me a totally fair price I will usually tip quite well depending on the distance. One time I bought a cab driver a large bottle of Thai whiskey for a 50 minute drive that I was only charged 400 baht for - he seemed to enjoy this tip a lot more than just simply cash.

If the massage sucks I don't tip, period. If it is quite good I give 50 baht. If it is awesome I give 100. (normal massage)

The people I tip a lot are delivery drivers since I really think they have a hard *and* dangerous job. I usually give them like 50-100 baht each time, depending on how far the restaurant is from my place.

[Semper]

When I go out to eat at a food stand I do not tip. If it is a sit down place I usually tip about 30 baht for a standard place. For a nicer place I make it about 50 instead. If I frequent the place a *lot* - like it becomes my regular joint - then I usually give them an extra big tip (like 1000 baht) yearly or so.

I only tip for transportation if I thought the price was fair to begin with. I don't really like haggling over 50 baht to much so usually I just accept the rip off price and then tip nothing. If they give me a totally fair price I will usually tip quite well depending on the distance. One time I bought a cab driver a large bottle of Thai whiskey for a 50 minute drive that I was only charged 400 baht for - he seemed to enjoy this tip a lot more than just simply cash.

If the massage sucks I don't tip, period. If it is quite good I give 50 baht. If it is awesome I give 100. (normal massage)

The people I tip a lot are delivery drivers since I really think they have a hard *and* dangerous job. I usually give them like 50-100 baht each time, depending on how far the restaurant is from my place.

I wonder why the Thais think all Farangs have a money tree in their garden..

[drnkurmlkshk]

Maybe it is because many of us do

All of those tip amounts are still substantially less than the majority give back in the USA, though. And personally I don't mind giving decent pay to someone that is working hard and providing good service - I'd certainly rather do that than give to charity, when I don't know anything about the beneficiaries at all.

[NancyL]

No one has mentioned the practice of giving New Year's "gift" (i.e. a card with money inside) to service people you interact with regularly. I do this for my Thai language teacher (who has put up with me for several years), the staff at the condo building (not individual staffers, but there is a shared pot at holiday time), also staff at the health club/fitness center, the laundry lady, the newspaper delivery guy, the water delivery guy, the grocery delivery guy, etc. These are people I don't regularly tip, but I think its a good practice to give them a small gift at holiday time.

[junglechef]

The problem of restaurants I keeping the tip and not giving it to the staff that is added on to the bill happens all over. In America some famous restaurants were sued by their staff over this and won. As a former food service professional I tip probably bigger than others, as we did back home, if the service is good (but I don't compare the service here to what I expect at home from trained waiters) but not as much as there. Probably 15% here if they are not rude and care a bit. The thing that bothers me is the places that add a tip (often 17%) onto the bill and it's NOT printed on the menu, and then they'll add 10% tax which I'm not sure always goes to the tax man, so over a quarter of the price on the menu. Not much I can do but not go back but then I tip the staff in cash and now pay 500 bht more on a 1000 bht meal (it's usually my family of 4) so it's getting pricey if we just want a casual bite a bit better than the great cheap eats street food.

[binjalin]

1322184325[/url]' post='4870318']

Don't tip tuk-tuk or songteaw drivers or at cheap Thai restaurants. No tip to use a pool, gym or tennis court.

In Western oriented or somewhat fancy Thai places, I tip something like 20 baht - of course I do not tip in fast food joints where you go up to the counter. In expensive restaurants of any type, I tip 10-15% - depending on circumstances. 20 baht for a haircut.

These are my own "rules", but most of my friends who have been here a long time do pretty much the same.

Yes i agree - i never pick up loose change if i'm in a cafe just leave it there. Tuktuks no way unless its loose change (but not 10)

[Femme]

Wages are set by the government, and in the end the employer is responsible to pay his staff fairly. Why should the customer (especially tourists) worry about wages, his responsibility is to have enough bahts to pay for his product.

Anything the government does is often completely detached from what really goes on. Please tell me that all massage ladies in all massage shops are properly on the payroll, make minimum wage and have social insurance.

That's an other discussion...you're missing my point.

Some foreigners like to victimize the low-so Thai, and want to help him by their own Western standard.

It is Thai system and Thailand deserves its own process, and doesn't always need the superior view of the Westerner (who likes to convert everything into his safety-zone)

When people tip because they want to help the less fortunates, it is a short-short term solution. People tip because, in the first place, it makes themselves happy, which is fine. Educate people, so they are free to choose and vote for a substantial and stable bladiebladiebla.. (hate politics)

But don't count the foreigner (again, especially the short term tourist) responsible for the welfare of the low paid group.

I don't pity this group (not anymore) because they earn 300 baht per day, just as I don't pity the toilet lady in the West because she earns 50 times less than the president of the company. They both have a task and I respect them both equally. And in my perfect little world I'd pay them the same and education is free.

Every little person, house, country has its own cross to carry and deserves its own process to find solution. Salvation.

-Amen-

Sawadee kha, have a nice weekend. Love, peace for all.

And don't forget to tip your neighbour!

Femski.

Edited November 26, 2011 by Femme

[thaimiller]

Depends what mood Im in, If Im in my usual miserable b'stard mood, then I never tip

[hellodolly]

Wages are set by the government, and in the end the employer is responsible to pay his staff fairly. Why should the customer (especially tourists) worry about wages, his responsibility is to have enough bahts to pay for his product.

Anything the government does is often completely detached from what really goes on. Please tell me that all massage ladies in all massage shops are properly on the payroll, make minimum wage and have social insurance.

That's an other discussion...you're missing my point.

Some foreigners like to victimize the low-so Thai, and want to help him by their own Western standard.

It is Thai system and Thailand deserves its own process, and doesn't always need the superior view of the Westerner (who likes to convert everything into his safety-zone)

When people tip because they want to help the less fortunates, it is a short-short term solution. People tip because, in the first place, it makes themselves happy, which is fine. Educate people, so they are free to choose and vote for a substantial and stable bladiebladiebla.. (hate politics)

But don't count the foreigner (again, especially the short term tourist) responsible for the welfare of the low paid group.

I don't pity this group (not anymore) because they earn 300 baht per day, just as I don't pity the toilet lady in the West because she earns 50 times less than the president of the company. They both have a task and I respect them both equally. And in my perfect little world I'd pay them the same and education is free.

Every little person, house, country has its own cross to carry and deserves its own process to find solution. Salvation.

-Amen-

Sawadee kha, have a nice weekend. Love, peace for all.

And don't forget to tip your neighbour!

Femski.

You say

"Every little person, house, country has its own cross to carry and deserves its own process to find solution. "

Unfortunately some of the crosses they have to bear is foreigners coming in and trying to apply the principals they left behind and not trying to help just use.

When I leave a tip it is just another way of showing my appreciation for the service rendered.

Besides that I have knowledge of the living conditions od many of these people and a tip means a lot to them.

The size of the tip is of no real consequences monetarily to me but to a poor Thai it is a lot. We can spend 500 baht on a semi expensive dinner A Thai can feed his wife and himself for a week on it.

[Boksida]

Back in the day, the McKean Institute ran a leprosarium in Chiangmai.

I was friendly with one of the patients and he had a bad habit of sneaking out to go and spend some time with old flames at the hole-in-the-wall places along Kampaeng Din. His favorite line during negotiations was "Well, you can keep the tip".

They didn't think it was very funny either.

[elektrified]

Back in the day, the McKean Institute ran a leprosarium in Chiangmai.

I was friendly with one of the patients and he had a bad habit of sneaking out to go and spend some time with old flames at the hole-in-the-wall places along Kampaeng Din. His favorite line during negotiations was "Well, you can keep the tip".

They didn't think it was very funny either.

[muchogra]

fyi......Mostly I see tipping as one of the ways in helping those who are less fortunate than me, for most part......(not really for serving me tho).

That is how I see it too. I have seen how much abuse these workers have to put up with from some rude foreigners and I know how low their salaries are.

I concur with both of you. My attitude toward this matter is exactly the same - excluding the unexpected part of comment on rude foreigners made by Ulysses. Sorry, Ulysses, many Thais are way worse, they are down right discriminating toward their own kind.

You may very well be right. I have never noticed it in a restaurant, but my Thai is probably not good enough to realize if a diner is being condescending if they keep their voice down.

I do know that in my own business, Thais are never a problem, but a small percentage of foreigners are extremely nasty and rude to the Thai employees. They almost always back down and change completely when I interrupt and tell them that it is my business and say exactly the same thing as the Thai employee. These ignorant creeps are the types that ruin it for the rest of us as some Thais that work with foreigners lump us all together after a while. They are a small minority of travelers, but they certainly stick out.

Ulyssess, I believe you when you relate your personal experience at your work places. I also agree with you that people of a different culture, particularly those with less exposure to the outside world, tend to generalize and lump the whole group based on observation of a few mischief committed by farangs and/or foreigners.

My own experience comes about at eatery cum entertainment places frequented by foreigners and Thais. They are mostly factory/company cowgair (bosses or owners, don't know if it's Thai or from Chinese taechiew dialect) accompanied by their Thai managers. The tone and remarks by these people toward the servicing people are downright condescending. They demand a lot, picky and rude. When it comes down to tipping they keep to bare minimum or nil because they don't want to set bad precedence.

[maipompui]

Wages are set by the government, and in the end the employer is responsible to pay his staff fairly. Why should the customer (especially tourists) worry about wages, his responsibility is to have enough bahts to pay for his product.

Anything the government does is often completely detached from what really goes on. Please tell me that all massage ladies in all massage shops are properly on the payroll, make minimum wage and have social insurance.

Thats the one Winnie...was talking to an 'old friend' lady who works in one of the bigger massage joints on Phuket.....She is required to be on site for 84 hours a week...every week!! A couple of weeks back, it was really quiet.and she actually worked 5 hours of that 84 hrs..ie she was paid 500 baht for being on site for 84 hours!!

If she wants/needs a day off apart from her alloted 3 days per month,she has to pay a fine of 2000 baht to management!!

This is just one small example of "fairness" by employer!!!

Edited November 26, 2011 by maipompui

[Femme]

Wages are set by the government, and in the end the employer is responsible to pay his staff fairly. Why should the customer (especially tourists) worry about wages, his responsibility is to have enough bahts to pay for his product.

Anything the government does is often completely detached from what really goes on. Please tell me that all massage ladies in all massage shops are properly on the payroll, make minimum wage and have social insurance.

That's an other discussion...you're missing my point.

Some foreigners like to victimize the low-so Thai, and want to help him by their own Western standard.

It is Thai system and Thailand deserves its own process, and doesn't always need the superior view of the Westerner (who likes to convert everything into his safety-zone)

When people tip because they want to help the less fortunates, it is a short-short term solution. People tip because, in the first place, it makes themselves happy, which is fine. Educate people, so they are free to choose and vote for a substantial and stable bladiebladiebla.. (hate politics)

But don't count the foreigner (again, especially the short term tourist) responsible for the welfare of the low paid group.

I don't pity this group (not anymore) because they earn 300 baht per day, just as I don't pity the toilet lady in the West because she earns 50 times less than the president of the company. They both have a task and I respect them both equally. And in my perfect little world I'd pay them the same and education is free.

Every little person, house, country has its own cross to carry and deserves its own process to find solution. Salvation.

-Amen-

Sawadee kha, have a nice weekend. Love, peace for all.

And don't forget to tip your neighbour!

Femski.

You say

"Every little person, house, country has its own cross to carry and deserves its own process to find solution. "

Unfortunately some of the crosses they have to bear is foreigners coming in and trying to apply the principals they left behind and not trying to help just use.

When I leave a tip it is just another way of showing my appreciation for the service rendered.

Besides that I have knowledge of the living conditions od many of these people and a tip means a lot to them.

The size of the tip is of no real consequences monetarily to me but to a poor Thai it is a lot. We can spend 500 baht on a semi expensive dinner A Thai can feed his wife and himself for a week on it.

I wonder, so next time you'll be tipping any other low paid Thai? Or don't you appreciate them? The cashier, construction people, security, people at the market... or is your personal rule to tip people only in the food & beverage/ entertainment industry? Because yes, we all have our own tipping rules, like UG posted.

And I really would like to discuss with you (maybe a new topic?) about "Unfortunately some of the crosses they have to bear is foreigners coming in and trying to apply the principals they left behind and not trying to help just use." Maybe I'm reading this line the wrong way, but Thailand is protecting itself quite well...Just use what? Thailand and foreigners are exchanging their means. Thais live on foreigners money, and allowing them in their country and culture has consequences. Being in several areas in Thailand my conclusion is: the more foreigners in a town, the more wellfed the locals look like, plus the area looked better maintained. Shoot me, but I think the cross you mention is from an expat's points of view who thinks he can see the world from the general Thai perspective.