Am I A Cheap Charlie If I Don't Tip?

[fire and ice]

Yes... if you are happy

No... if you are not happy

Those girls working in massage shops don't really get a huge % of those 100 Baht... and given the fact that they might only have few customers a day (specially in low season), the really can use (or need if they have kids to care after) tips from their customers.

I normally give 50 / hour as tip, 100 / hour if she does a great job (no... great job does NOT mean what you just thought....)

Edit: Uups... happy also does not mean what some are just thinking

They get half - its the same for massage work pretty much the globe over and also yoga instructors too. I friend of mine is a masseuse and has done it for donkeys years in several places in Thailand (Mostly Bangkok and Pattaya) and also in Korea too and she says its always half which confirmed what many others have told me over the years.

I also know its the same here in Australia also. Although a tip in unheard of in Australia, if you do give one in Thailand the tip goes 100% to the person who served you.

Although a legit massage shoudl not be confused with prostitution, AFAIK most brothels in Australia also pay 50% to the lady.

[fire and ice]

You have paid the requested rate for the job why should a tip be expected. Certainly not at the 50% and 100% rates being suggested here.

Unforunately the lady that does the work doesn't set the price.In fact she has to give the biggest part of the payment to the owner of the massage.

So yes, she deserves a tip since otherwise she will not make the 300 Baht minimum salary a day.

They get half not a wage.

[petertucker48]

YES

[gmac]

So what this all really boils down to is that the Cheap Charlies are actually the business owners who fail to pay their employees a decent living wage. A customer tip should exactly that, a tip for better than average service. All so very wrong. If a massage parlour has 30 girls working, say average 2 massages per girl per day at 100 Baht and the employer lets them have 50%, after 1 month girls earn a pittance of 3000 Baht each, business owner walks away with 90.000 Baht. A much better way would be to charge 200 Baht for the massage, let the girls keep 75%, they are all happy with 9000 per month and owner still gets his 90k. Girls don't need excessive tips to live and nobody gets called a Cheap Charlie!

[uptheos]

You have paid the requested rate for the job why should a tip be expected. Certainly not at the 50% and 100% rates being suggested here.

Guess we have a lot of cheap charlies in here

Loads and probably most of them are the ones like yourself, who try to deflect on to others.

[TheGhostWithin]

yes u should tip. 100 baht is just to get you in the door. come on even a 60baht tip is like $2. plus the ladies will recognise your face and give u a shit massage.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect App

Correct imho.

If no one tipped then these prices wouldnt be sustainable. The women are working for tips. Some guys here dont have a heart at all.

So, is Thailand living on a false economy then, advertising at one price, but expecting another? I realise massage is very cheap in Thailand, but going out to other establishments (particularly in places like Pattaya, Phuket, Bangkok) prices are rapidly approaching western prices - some places (such as some restaurants along Sukhumvit) are now as expensive as restaurants here in New Zealand.

So are establishments simply looking to mask the true cost of their services?

[Jayman]

You have paid the requested rate for the job why should a tip be expected. Certainly not at the 50% and 100% rates being suggested here.

Guess we have a lot of cheap charlies in here

To be fair, the Thais won't call you a cheap Charlie. What they will say is you have no nam jai.

I've never heard a Thai person say, "have no nam jai".

Do you know about the concept of 'nam jai' and 'boon koon'? Do you really think the massage girl in Pattaya will show the same 'nam jai' to the extravagant foreigner.

If you start talking about one Thai custom, make sure you know them all.

Why is it required to know they all? Just ask your thai partner the connection between nam jai and tipping. That is what we are talking about here right?

[Jayman]

So what this all really boils down to is that the Cheap Charlies are actually the business owners who fail to pay their employees a decent living wage. A customer tip should exactly that, a tip for better than average service. All so very wrong. If a massage parlour has 30 girls working, say average 2 massages per girl per day at 100 Baht and the employer lets them have 50%, after 1 month girls earn a pittance of 3000 Baht each, business owner walks away with 90.000 Baht. A much better way would be to charge 200 Baht for the massage, let the girls keep 75%, they are all happy with 9000 per month and owner still gets his 90k. Girls don't need excessive tips to live and nobody gets called a Cheap Charlie!

I agree.. do you have any suggestions on how to implement this system that is more fair to the workers? I will be happy to do my part to support it. Until then, I will keep tipping them 100thb.

[Jayman]

yes u should tip. 100 baht is just to get you in the door. come on even a 60baht tip is like $2. plus the ladies will recognise your face and give u a shit massage.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect App

Correct imho.

If no one tipped then these prices wouldnt be sustainable. The women are working for tips. Some guys here dont have a heart at all.

So, is Thailand living on a false economy then, advertising at one price, but expecting another? I realise massage is very cheap in Thailand, but going out to other establishments (particularly in places like Pattaya, Phuket, Bangkok) prices are rapidly approaching western prices - some places (such as some restaurants along Sukhumvit) are now as expensive as restaurants here in New Zealand.

So are establishments simply looking to mask the true cost of their services?

Greed puts more money in the pockets of the few at the expense (off the backs) of the many.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Jayman

[foxboy]

All you 'cheap charlies' and 'cheap charlie' defenders are indeed a horrible lot.

How can you think it acceptable for a lady to wrestle a generally oversized Farang body around for an hour, knowing she will only earn 50bht for it and not tip her?

Quite frankly, you disgust me!

[poanoi]

I'm getting the impression you're longing for a tip

or a share of a tip, so the disgust is mutual !

[gaucho]

if they have been nice ....not that way ...i try to tip some ...same as the cleaners and waitresses they r on shit money

[Jayman]

if they have been nice ....not that way ...i try to tip some ...same as the cleaners and waitresses they r on shit money

You "try to tip some"... ? we are talking a couple of bucks tops mate. I guess they're not the only ones on shit money..

Edited November 18, 2012 by Jayman

[Spoonman]

Treat em' mean, keep em' keen.

[gmac]

So what this all really boils down to is that the Cheap Charlies are actually the business owners who fail to pay their employees a decent living wage. A customer tip should exactly that, a tip for better than average service. All so very wrong. If a massage parlour has 30 girls working, say average 2 massages per girl per day at 100 Baht and the employer lets them have 50%, after 1 month girls earn a pittance of 3000 Baht each, business owner walks away with 90.000 Baht. A much better way would be to charge 200 Baht for the massage, let the girls keep 75%, they are all happy with 9000 per month and owner still gets his 90k. Girls don't need excessive tips to live and nobody gets called a Cheap Charlie!

I agree.. do you have any suggestions on how to implement this system that is more fair to the workers? I will be happy to do my part to support it. Until then, I will keep tipping them 100thb.

Regrettably not, I have no doubt that, with the greed typically seen from businesses, an increase in price to 200 Baht would just see the businesses take go up to 270k Baht a month while the girls stay on their current pittance.

[foxboy]

I'm getting the impression you're longing for a tip

or a share of a tip, so the disgust is mutual !

why would I be 'longing for a tip' or a share of a tip'? What is your 'impression'?

Edited November 19, 2012 by foxboy

[tropo]

You have paid the requested rate for the job why should a tip be expected. Certainly not at the 50% and 100% rates being suggested here.

Unforunately the lady that does the work doesn't set the price.In fact she has to give the biggest part of the payment to the owner of the massage.

So yes, she deserves a tip since otherwise she will not make the 300 Baht minimum salary a day.

I don't believe a customer needs to be concerned about the salary of the massage staff. If they couldn't make ends meet, they wouldn't be there.

Most of the cheap massage places are full of ladies looking for a foreign "boyfriend". The work is only a front. They do a day or two of training and then they're let loose on customers.

Best advice is to find the less attractive, older ladies for a good massage and tip if you feel the need.

Edited November 19, 2012 by tropo

[poanoi]

From my experience, less than 10% of them was worth my time, let alone my money,

but when i did find someone that was useful, i asked the name and gave 50 baht tip

to ensure i would get that one useful girl next time.

If she wasn't available, i would try out another place, but i knew the odds was heavily against me of finding anyone good enough.

[foxboy]

From my experience, less than 10% of them was worth my time, let alone my money,

but when i did find someone that was useful, i asked the name and gave 50 baht tip

to ensure i would get that one useful girl next time.

If she wasn't available, i would try out another place, but i knew the odds was heavily against me of finding anyone good enough.

I had similar experience in the past as a 'newbie' here.. but I was looking in the wrong places (soi honey, chaiyapoon, etc) and was invariably disappointed. But the older less attractive women (away from the happy ending scene) are the way forward, I've found. I worked as a masseur on the cruise ships many years ago, and trust me, after sweating away for an hour trying to give the customer a great massage, no tip is a huge insult. These girls work hard and should be acknowledged for it. It doesn't matter how much or little you give, they will feel rewarded by any tip trust me.

[tropo]

. It doesn't matter how much or little you give, they will feel rewarded by any tip trust me.

If you must tip, anything less than 50 baht would probably be considered insulting and worse than no tip at all. No tip means cheap charlie. A very small tip means they are not worthy.

[uptheos]

Maybe someone should set up a 'young massage girl' rescue centre, or maybe they could offer themselves in marriage for the cause?

[poanoi]

I'm tempted to pick up on johnny's idea and have a girl learn how to massage free.

Only question is: Where do i find the girl that want my generous offer ?

[Gonsalviz]

Lots of cheap charlies here.

[BookMan]

Even if I do tip, I am, on the balance of things, a Cheao Charlie

[transam]

Lots of cheap charlies here.

Hmmmmm, noooooooo, perhaps some who want to show ''I am a millionaire farang''.

[balo]

The only person you should tip in Thailand is your girlfriend/wife , and possibly her Mother.

[Jayman]

The only person you should tip in Thailand is your girlfriend/wife , and possibly her Mother.

Why on earth would I tip my wife or her family? Should I tip my children as well?

[transam]

The only person you should tip in Thailand is your girlfriend/wife , and possibly her Mother.

Why on earth would I tip my wife or her family? Should I tip my children as well?

Perhaps you ''do'' every day.

[wedders]

I've had on average 4 massages a week, over nearly 5 years I've been living in Thailand.

The bottom line is that a good massage rewarded is an incentive for the girl to keep you happy every time you appear in her shop. I'm a trained masseur myself, and I can tell when the girls are putting in the extra effort.

I also tell them when I think the massage is below average.

I always have 90 minutes or 2 hours massage, usually at 200 baht Thai per hour, or 300 oil per hour. I tip 50/70 baht for 90 minutes, 70/80 .... or even 100 occasionally if the massage is exceptional - for the 2 hour massage.

Tipping works, when you are a regular at a few places.

But even if it's a one-off visit, I will always tip for a good massage. They deserve it, it's hard work believe me, for very little reward in Thailand.

Edited November 22, 2012 by wedders

[Pattaya28]

Prices in Pattaya are on the up and up. In some cases, western prices. Why tip ?? The prices cannot be justified. Bar fine, for example, can be 700 baht. The bosses of restaurants, bars, etc are milking us. Food in good restaurants is equal to Europe. All we are recognized as is "walking wallets". But, I will tip for a good massage 100 baht.