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

[fakename]

I didnt know I had the usual "suspects", but if someone likes my post, that ok, but I sure wasnt trying to get points. If you have a "driver" and want to tip him, thats good, but then why dont you just pay him a good wage? I dont have a "driver", so all the tip money goes in my own pocket. Yes, Im one of the ones that dont have money to impress the girls with, or others, with a third grade education, and I surly dont have money to try and impress members of this forum. Some of us are just "normal" guys back home, but want to enjoy life a bit more, than we did during our working years. Others couldnt impress people back home, so they come to Thailand and enjoy people kissing their ass, and actually believing that "handsome man" BS, of course after you walk out the door, they all probably have a good laugh, but then you will never know it. Thats called a win/win situation.

Why is it that people seem to live ok in their village, but when they are in Pattaya, they need your tips to keep them alive? You say, if I dont tip, then shouldnt use their services, well, I dont get massages, so then where should I give the tip? to the 7/11, to the clinic, to the gas station (that tries to put 6 litters of gas in a 5 litter tank), to the bike shop, that fixes my flat, (that starts leaking after 5 km) to the girl at the bar, that doesnt feel like talking (only looking in her mirror) but ask if I will buy her a drink, or just maybe, to the girl at the market, that says "mai me".

I tip who I want to, not who you think I should tip, of course, if the girl at the gas station is really cute, then I would give her a tip, and maybe become a steady customer!

Hope you dont run out of money!

[fakename]

I dont think purchasing a gift for someone is in the TIp category, but a show of kindness to the person that helped you. That is what friends are for, to help each other, but usually I try to return their help, not get away with buying some trinket that they may not even want. If I needed help with translation, or just finding something im looking for, I would probably buy them a lunch, or do them some favors.

[tropo]

After 7 years of living here I am surprised you would need a Thai to hold your hand and take you to immigration or a hospital.

Cant you speak the language?

The last 2 times I have been at immi the whole process was completed in Thai and I have been here as long as you, if an idiot like me can learn the language surely someone as switched on as you should have no problem.

I must confess, I also cannot speak Thai after 7 years, but in Pattaya it's never a problem going out on my own to do stuff.

My excuse? A non-Thai wife and living in Pattaya.

It is starting to get a little embarrassing now though when people discover how long I've been here. I really didn't expect to be here this long.

[theprofessional]

I never tip the massage ladies as I don't want to encourage them.

And as far as restauarants and bars are concerned they don't have a tipping culture in Thailand so there is really no need, in fact most Thais would be offended if you tipped them.

[Tolley]

I didnt know I had the usual "suspects", but if someone likes my post, that ok, but I sure wasnt trying to get points. If you have a "driver" and want to tip him, thats good, but then why dont you just pay him a good wage? I dont have a "driver", so all the tip money goes in my own pocket. Yes, Im one of the ones that dont have money to impress the girls with, or others, with a third grade education, and I surly dont have money to try and impress members of this forum. Some of us are just "normal" guys back home, but want to enjoy life a bit more, than we did during our working years. Others couldnt impress people back home, so they come to Thailand and enjoy people kissing their ass, and actually believing that "handsome man" BS, of course after you walk out the door, they all probably have a good laugh, but then you will never know it. Thats called a win/win situation.

Why is it that people seem to live ok in their village, but when they are in Pattaya, they need your tips to keep them alive? You say, if I dont tip, then shouldnt use their services, well, I dont get massages, so then where should I give the tip? to the 7/11, to the clinic, to the gas station (that tries to put 6 litters of gas in a 5 litter tank), to the bike shop, that fixes my flat, (that starts leaking after 5 km) to the girl at the bar, that doesnt feel like talking (only looking in her mirror) but ask if I will buy her a drink, or just maybe, to the girl at the market, that says "mai me".

I tip who I want to, not who you think I should tip, of course, if the girl at the gas station is really cute, then I would give her a tip, and maybe become a steady customer!

Hope you dont run out of money!

Sounds like you are just the type of person who needs a good massage being all uptight is not good for you.

The context of tipping in this discussion was about the cheap massage joints primarily on SB. What you choose or not choose to do in other situations is a little bit different.

SB massage joints are 100baht an hour cheaper than the other places in Pattaya so a tip of 100baht in this context is not excessive.

If you are in Pattaya you are in a tourist town where it is more customary to tip in general than in Nakhon nowhere so any such comparisons are really redundant.

Lastly thanks for worrying about my financial health but I doubt i will go broke on a couple of dollars tip here and there. YMMV

[Tolley]

I never tip the massage ladies as I don't want to encourage them.

And as far as restauarants and bars are concerned they don't have a tipping culture in Thailand so there is really no need, in fact most Thais would be offended if you tipped them.

You have obviously missed the ubiquitous tipping box found in many establishments.

[Bangkokhatter]

I never tip the massage ladies as I don't want to encourage them.

And as far as restauarants and bars are concerned they don't have a tipping culture in Thailand so there is really no need, in fact most Thais would be offended if you tipped them.

Another urban myth . You really believe that a waitress would be offended if you gave her a tip ?

[tropo]

If you are in Pattaya you are in a tourist town where it is more customary to tip in general than in Nakhon nowhere so any such comparisons are really redundant.

... and that's only because in Pattaya there's thousands of tourists on short vacations spending back home currency at reckless (drunk) abandon.

It's impossible to keep up with this sort of tipping, and a 50 baht tip will be considered a non-tip by most of these massage ladies... therefore you'll still be pegged as a cheap charlie even after tipping 25%. I really don't think they'd consider anything under 100 baht a tip.

If you are the sort of person who is sensitive about ladies thinking you're a cheap charlie, wouldn't you prefer being called a cheap charlie with the money still planted firmly in your pocket.

[tropo]

I never tip the massage ladies as I don't want to encourage them.

And as far as restauarants and bars are concerned they don't have a tipping culture in Thailand so there is really no need, in fact most Thais would be offended if you tipped them.

Another urban myth . You really believe that a waitress would be offended if you gave her a tip ?

... only if the tip was a few coins.

[Traxster]

( Am I a cheap charlie if I don't tip?)

In a word......Yes you are a 'cheap charlie' if you don't tip,

Holey Moley don't you know how much these people get paid ??

[robblok]

Actually tourists and non residents should not awnser in threads like these because in general they have different income and spending pattern on a holliday.

As for the rrst then there are those where tipping is not normal and others that dont have that much money. I tip but would not call non tippers cheap.

Also remember the daily wage is 300 a day these ladies earn more no need to pitty them.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect App

[tropo]

Also remember the daily wage is 300 a day these ladies earn more no need to pitty them.

Not on the building site next door. The basic wage is 200 baht per day and they work a lot harder than the ladies in the palour with no chance of a tip.

It seems that most people are arguing that we should give them big tips because they are doing it tough and we should feel sorry for them.

[BWPattaya]

I wonder how many of those advocating tips actually do it. When I pay for my internet service do I tip? When I pay for my landline do I tip? When I pay my electricity bill do I tip? When I pay for my rubbish collection do I tip? When I go food shopping in Tesco do I tip? when I buy petrol do I tip? The point it that we all hand money over for goods and services but we rarely tip. So, why should someone doing their job at an agreed price get a tip? Does anyone ever walk over to a roadsweeper and give them a tip?

[Ulysses G.]

Also remember the daily wage is 300 a day these ladies earn more no need to pitty them.

Massage ladies only get paid for the time that they are actually doing a massage. There is no minimum wage for them.

[robblok]

Also remember the daily wage is 300 a day these ladies earn more no need to pitty them.

Massage ladies only get paid for the time that they are actually doing a massage. There is no minimum wage for them.

It is still based on thd minium wage, so if all those people who are called cheap charlies dont come because they are shamed into tipping they cant afford the ladies get even less.

So they either set fair maybe higher prices. I tip but i hate the custom, rather know the price and pay it.

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[tropo]

It is still based on thd minium wage, so if all those people who are called cheap charlies dont come because they are shamed into tipping they cant afford the ladies get even less.

Perhaps the tippers shouldn't go at all. They're the ones that seem to be trying to appease their guilt by tipping. Seriously, if they feel bad for the ladies and feel they're being exploited, they really only have 2 options. Stay away and not be guilty of exploitation, or give them the same as they would be paid for a massage service back at home with perhaps an adjustment for cost of living.

Seriously, a 50 or 100 baht tip for a 200 baht one hour massage doesn't release them from the crime of exploitation of the poor.

Edited December 16, 2012 by tropo

[cobra]

Can't believe this hasn't been moved to the All Things Cheap Charlie forum,

[tropo]

Can't believe this hasn't been moved to the All Things Cheap Charlie forum,

No need to move it, it's already there aka Pattaya Forum.

[Rimmer]

Can't believe this hasn't been moved to the All Things Cheap Charlie forum,

I tried but they wouldn't take it

[susanschwaiger]

Many Farangs have sort of pity feeling towards the massage ladies, which I think is quite unnecessary and odd. Sure the ladies are not well off and in the eyes of westerners, they can be classified as "poor". But in thailand, due to the religion reason, most of the people are happy and calm. You are richer than them, but dare you say you are much happier than them? Material standards are weak in front of mental things.

In Thailand, land is fertile, climate is good, I seldom see somebody who is really having a miserable life. If you go to some African countries, and see those malnutrition faces and skinny bodies, then you know what is "poverty". Thailand has various kinds of charity organisations and they care for the people in need. Earning a small income doesn't mean the need of sympathy. Sometimes, sympathy is humiliating.

I often go to a 200 baht massage shop near my condo. I don't talk with them during massage and don't give tip either. Just pay the price and say "Thank You" and leave. They are always polite and never show a snobbish look. If I have to give a tip to get good service , then I won't go there anymore. Because it will remind me that in some countries, when you pass immigration desk, you have to give the police some tips so he won't find fault with you.....

The street food stall owners also work very hard and only charge 30 for noodle/rice. And the construction workers,etc etc. Why Farangs don't tip them?!?!

Tip is like a gift. Will you be happy if you receive a gift? Yes; Will you be annoyed if you don't get one? No.

In Thailand, I only tip if I go to some high end westernised places. Not because I want to help the employee, but because of the etiquette. No need to argue, thailand is not a tipping country like those old European countries.

[Ulysses G.]

Poor people in Africa are worse off than poor people in Thailand, so no need to tip. Some of these rationalizations for penny pinching are classics.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[Spoonman]

Remove massage lady from the equation and replace with spare parts random at a Ford dealership I just spent Bt.10000.00 at. what tip should I provide given the excellent service received ?

I chose zero and paid what was on the invoice but what do you peoples reckon, am I a cheap charlie for not tossing her some coin, after all she only did the job she her employer is paying her to do.

but your probably wishing you didn't buy a Ford.

Why ?

I quiet like my Ford and planning on upgrading to a new one once this one is 12 months old.

[tropo]

I tip 50 Baht. But in Bangkok, I pay 250 to the establishment, so that's a different percentage.

If you give the girls a 50 baht tip in Pattaya you'll still be considered a Cheap Charlie.

[tropo]

Poor people in Africa are worse off than poor people in Thailand, so no need to tip. Some of these rationalizations for penny pinching are classics.

What if the guy is donating a lot of money to the poor people in Africa? Would that get him off the hook?

[Tolley]

Poor people in Africa are worse off than poor people in Thailand, so no need to tip. Some of these rationalizations for penny pinching are classics.

What if the guy is donating a lot of money to the poor people in Africa? Would that get him off the hook?

Are you still flogging this dead horse? Might be time to start a new thread in the health section.

[robblok]

Poor people in Africa are worse off than poor people in Thailand, so no need to tip. Some of these rationalizations for penny pinching are classics.

What if the guy is donating a lot of money to the poor people in Africa? Would that get him off the hook?

Are you still flogging this dead horse? Might be time to start a new thread in the health section.

They are certainly more informative there. I was thinking about a newyears resolution one. But more based on how to train and what to reach.

Il wait till im back from my holliday and have a real computer as i make too many errors on my phone and too lazy to make long posts.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect App

[tropo]

Are you still flogging this dead horse? Might be time to start a new thread in the health section.

Be my guest and start a new thread in the health forum. If you're concerned about "flogging this dead horse", why reply? Better yet, just ignore the thread.

[Tolley]

Are you still flogging this dead horse? Might be time to start a new thread in the health section.

Be my guest and start a new thread in the health forum. If you're concerned about "flogging this dead horse", why reply? Better yet, just ignore the thread.

I think you know what I mean. I am a bit of short if ideas but this thread isn't really going anywhere but round in circles.

[tropo]

Are you still flogging this dead horse? Might be time to start a new thread in the health section.

Be my guest and start a new thread in the health forum. If you're concerned about "flogging this dead horse", why reply? Better yet, just ignore the thread.

I think you know what I mean. I am a bit of short if ideas but this thread isn't really going anywhere but round in circles.

I didn't think so. The idea of comparing poverty in Thailand to Africa was interesting for me because I donate a lot of money to poor in Philippines - there's a huge difference in poverty levels between the 2 nations to the extent that I never feel sorry for anyone over here. One difference which I find rather amusing is that even garbage scavengers in my area of Pattaya have motorcycles and cell phones.

Anyway, don't all threads tend to go around in circles? Usually when a thread gets too boring for me I click the "unfollow this topic" button.

Edited December 16, 2012 by tropo

[JSixpack]

What you have to do to limit your tip to 20 baht yet bring smiles of excitement, joy, and happiness is merely to throw a ping pong ball redeemable for the 20 baht.