I Can Pour My Own Beer Thank You.

[Baerboxer]

In any nice restaurant, anywhere, waiters will top up your beverage for you - wether it's wine, beer or/and water. You can easily indicate if you don't want more or not ready yet.

The service in most Thai, Chinese and Malaysian restaurants is excellent, IMHO, regardless of wether its a five star silver service or small family noodle shop. There is a pride taken in how the food is prepared and served, and the service continues throughout the meal and until you leave, when most are also keen to check if you enjoyed the food.

If you really have a thing about someone pouring your drink for you then simply and politely tell them you'd like to pour your own. But, really, why not chill and enjoy the good service before it gets more like the attitude in some Western countries where people think they are actually doing you a big favour just bothering to serve you.

[johnbarpic]

They are trained to do it to sell beer I think a very good business ploy, if your in the bar game. Plus the staff see it as a service to prompt you to leave a tip. in the UK you will stand there all night while the bar maid sends texts to her mates & she is invariably not as pretty as the one serving you here.

When was the last time you got service in an english pub ????

[tragickingdom]

It is called "service" the girls try to be helpful. Just teach them that you want your beer with foam. you'll be surprised.

[ricklev]

I don't like it with beer. I tell them when I first order to leave the bottle on the cart close by or on the table and not to pour or open a new bottle without asking. It really really annoys me when a restaurant only offers extremely expensive bottled water and then tops up glasses and opens new bottles without asking. I've known people to end up with water charges of more than 1000 baht.

Edited April 20, 2013 by ricklev

[OZEMADE]

Just use a condom!

I tried that, it tasted rubbery.

[HerbalEd]

Doesn't really matter since they're pouring it over ice anyway. . .

Only for themselves. I've never seen them serving beer with ice to falangs unless asked to do so.

I find it amusing how indignant and self righteous some falangs get about the Thais drinking beer with ice. To them I say, get over yourself. It's a Thai custom and one of the things great about travel to another country and culture is experiencing the differences ... otherwise why leave your home land.

Edited April 20, 2013 by HerbalEd

[Donnie Brasco]

I visit a local restaurant occasionally after doing some shopping as they have a motocy stand next to them where all the drivers know me, where I live and how much I pay for the ride. I always make a point of stopping for a large Chang before heading home. The staff have taken it upon themselves to, whenever I arrive to guide me to the most comfortable bar stool and put an extra cushion in for my back comfort. They then choose a particular glass (1/2 pint jug) which is kept spotlessly clean and put 2 cubes of ice in it. The wine cooler is then produced and ice and water are added. The coldest bottle is then taken from the fridge (after rummaging and coldness checking of all the other bottles and eventually the first mugful is poured and the bottle places in the wine cooler. A cloth napkin is placed on the bar next to the cooler to use to wipe the bottle when I take it out to pour more.

They only ever pour the first mugful leaving me to do the rest....... superb service and none of it prompted. Rewarded..... yes, often but not always.

Now *this* is what call service.

*And if I understood the subtext of your post, you take great pleasure in rewarding that service."

This is the way it's supposed to work.

And they know it.

Not some mud hen fool who (to please his greedy boss) pokes away at your beer every two minutes and flashes a sh*t-burger smile from under her/hiswide-eyed and mildly disturbing, non-verbal and "verb avoiding" "One more?"

We want to tip the former.

The latter know that we will not want to tip them because they have been bothering us all evening with their annoying version of what good service is supposed to be.

The latter, ill-trained, the tip-begging monkeys of the trade will inevitably bring back a pile of change or a wad of twenties. (Funny how there's always loads of small change in these clip joints but that taxis never have any unless you've asked him as you got into the car.) the latter, can sulk their lives away for all I care.

It all depends on their manners. I get good service in clip joints and in noodle stands and in most restaurants because I know how to communicate *pleasantly* that good service is what I expect.

Communicate.

[Billmont]

Even worse than topping up too frequently is when they park your beer on a trolley out of reach, pour the first glass, then forget about you.

And, if you get up and bring the bottle back to your table the waitress looks at you as if you're stealing it.

So I am not the only weirdo who likes to pour his own beer, definately no ice, and I want the bottle on the table beside me not on a trolly out of reach. I know they are only trying to help and give what they consider good service. I tip not to have this "good service". I like to have a little head, so to speak, other comments not required. About a quarter inch, not poured flat or have 3 inches of head. Thats why I like to do it myself and can top up as I want not as somebody else wants. Not too much to ask!

Edited April 20, 2013 by Billmont

[mrbojangles]

I like when they forget to add to my bill.

Why am I not surprised at that Smokes

[DavoTheGun]

A little bit off topic, but what is with the crazy habit of serving Red Wine cold and even sometimes on ice, ordered a 1300Bt bottle of Aussie red at a well known restaurant in Pattaya, bottle arrived opened and cold, then ice was put in. I complained and wanted new bottle not cold and opened at the table, many dark looks and told I will have to pay for both bottles, could see we were going to have problems so I payed up to save a fight.

What!!

[mrbojangles]

The other problem with beer being poured into a glass, is that the Thais wash the glasses in a type of soap that flattens the beer.

I won't accept beer in anything other than the bottle. Put it in front of me and let me glug it from the bottle.

My life started from the nipple, then the rubber nipple on the milk bottle, so I was brought up knowing how to handle bottles........and nipples.

Ever since a guy I knew got Weils disease, I no longer drink straight from a bottle or can. Who knows where these crates are stored and what rodents crawl and pee all over them. Even if you wipe the bottle I'm not sure what is still left behind. Maybe I'm over cautious.

[Markaew]

Try to teach a Thai how to pour a Guinness. Come to that very few people know how to pour a beer these days, sigh. I have been known to go behind the bar and show them, they don't want to know, I think some would shake a bottle of Champagne before opening if you didn't stand pn their foot beforehand.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

At first, I thought this was all a bit petty, but after thinking about it I agree completely with your comments. If you aren't a beer guzzler and enjoy your beer then you don't want people messing with your beer. I don't like ice in my beer and even a moderate connoisseur would never consider that. And heavens sake don't waste beer even if it's hot. Thais don't know how to pour beer and frankly I don't think they could care less.

I do like the beer in the ice bucket idea. Better than ice in the beer. After my years here, I have settled in on Singha beer. It's not great but for the price it not too bad. I am used to micro brewed beer in the States which I miss dearly. So in short, don't mess with my beer even if it's just average beer.

[pattayadingo]

I don't like it with beer. I tell them when I first order to leave the bottle on the cart close by or on the table and not to pour or open a new bottle without asking. It really really annoys me when a restaurant only offers extremely expensive bottled water and then tops up glasses and opens new bottles without asking. I've known people to end up with water charges of more than 1000 baht.

In many places if you do not want the new bottle that they have opened, let them know, they will take it back and replace the cap. No charge.

[Markaew]

I prefer some foam on top but a lot of staff seem to pour without foam.

I prefer not to have foam. Excess foam is the loss of CO2 and CO2 adds to the flavor.

Edited April 20, 2013 by Markaew

[puyaidon]

When my friend and I were drinking beer, we would buy each of us a bottle of beer. The waitress/waiter invariably will pour all out of one bottle before the other bottle. Well, sometimes we each drink at different rates so we each have our own bottle. Waitresses don't understand that we are not Thais and do it differently. We do finally train them but sometimes they forget. Most of the time, we put our bottles out of reach of the waitresses until they learn. If we did it their way, we would be knee-walking, commode-hugging drunk by the time our session is at an end.

[Markaew]

I don't like it with beer. I tell them when I first order to leave the bottle on the cart close by or on the table and not to pour or open a new bottle without asking. It really really annoys me when a restaurant only offers extremely expensive bottled water and then tops up glasses and opens new bottles without asking. I've known people to end up with water charges of more than 1000 baht.

In many places if you do not want the new bottle that they have opened, let them know, they will take it back and replace the cap. No charge.

That's your wife's/gf's job to counter that stuff.

[Mur]

never happened to me. have'nt had a beer for 19 years. Wots it like ??????

[DekDaeng]

They are trained and required to do this by management, and consider it good service.

But if they want to max their tips, they would do well to communicate. If you own a bar, just a few words of english would help the staff develop rapport.

Pet hate is when you sit down and next thing you know is a fan parked beside you, full on. "Like fan?" with a smile would help a lot. Same as 'more beer?'

Will chefs ever learn that f'lungs like to eat starters together, mains together, deserts together? Has anyone found where they get this right?

[theblether]

I love having my beer poured for me, I also enjoy inviting the Pretty Girls to drink from whatever bottle of spirits I have open that night

My ex gf was a Pretty Girl for years, and she now runs a team of Pretties. I enjoyed the extra attention, the laughs and very often the local knowledge you would get from these young ladies. The ladies in the first two photos were based at a restaurant in Chiang Rai, they were very entertaining and they gave us some good suggestions for local trips.

These young people are an asset to your evening, just open up a wee bit to them, show them a little bit of grace and courtesy, and they can make a pleasant evening even better.

Alternatively you can turn up with the sour faced attitude that the OP has recently adopted and confirm to many Thais that all we farangs are twisted moaning faced gets.

Guesthouse, get a grip on yourself.

[jocko]

The other problem with beer being poured into a glass, is that the Thais wash the glasses in a type of soap that flattens the beer.

I won't accept beer in anything other than the bottle. Put it in front of me and let me glug it from the bottle.

My life started from the nipple, then the rubber nipple on the milk bottle, so I was brought up knowing how to handle bottles........and nipples.

Any soap residue in the glass flattens the beer happens anywhere

[HeavyDrinker]

Indeed!

We've a new lass working at my local and she's got top knockers. Every time she topped me up (my beer that is) I really copped an eyeful.

She didn't half get a good tip last night and I'm hoping for similar service tonight as long as I can convince the wife to stop in...

Yours

Sid James

[rgs2001uk]

Ok please put us out of our misery, where did this take place?

So what 6 people go to a bar, 36 bottles are consumed, each person pays for 6 bottles, whats the problem.

Where in farangland can I get a personal servant to add ice and beer?

Usually where I drink its based on eye movement, never mind yet another thinly veiled anti Thai rant, good old GH so predicatable.

rgs2001UK off again on one of his rants against whats going on in his own head.

1. I don't regard the fact that I have not told you where I drink as placing you in misery - I'd hate to deny you the pleasure of coming to your own baseless conclusions.

2. Whats this reference to paying for beers? I have not mentioned paying for beers - paying for beers is not the subject under discussion in this thread - It might be a discussion going on in your own head, but it has nothing to do with my OP.

3. Plenty of places in 'Farangland' will have staff top up your drinks for you - usually up market places where the staff have actually been trained how to poor a drink.

4. 'Thinly veiled anti-Thai rant' - Here we go again, TVF's own special form of McCarthyism' - stalking the board looking for the slight indication that members are not wearing the saffron tinted spectacles YOU have decided must be worn.

I suggest you stop dreaming up the style of life others live and address what ever it is that motivates you to do so... it might not be an easy journey, but you will feel better once you get to the root of the problem.

Classic GH reply, absolute classic, at his sanctimonious best.

Way too many assumptions, suggest you re read your pyschology for dummies.

Never heard of anyone going to a place of sanook and bitching about lithe young pretties fussing and fawning over them, still thats the beauty of TV some members never fail to dissapoint.

This is a classic case.

[kennedy]

They have been pouring beer this way for over 45 yrs. that I know of,but of course it now an issue on TV.

[GuestHouse]

Never heard of anyone going to a place of sanook and bitching about lithe young pretties fussing and fawning over them, still thats the beauty of TV some members never fail to dissapoint.

rgs, you are entirely correct - there is absolutely no mention of 'Pretties' in my OP - once again ...... all in your own head.

Off on one of your tangents again... nothing much changes.

[uptheos]

They are trained and required to do this by management, and consider it good service. .

Indeed and many Thai's would be quite put out if their drinks weren't poured for them, depending on the type of establishment they are in.

[holymoly]

Get yourself a small bottle stopper and put it on. They'll get the message

[FunFon]

They are trained and required to do this by management, and consider it good service.

But if they want to max their tips, they would do well to communicate. If you own a bar, just a few words of english would help the staff develop rapport.

Pet hate is when you sit down and next thing you know is a fan parked beside you, full on. "Like fan?" with a smile would help a lot. Same as 'more beer?'

Will chefs ever learn that f'lungs like to eat starters together, mains together, deserts together? Has anyone found where they get this right?

-

You are assuming much more higher levels of rational thought and motivation here than actually exist 99.9% of the time.

These people are on automatic pilot, learn everything by rote and that's the way they'll do their job until they day they drop.

Don't even bother trying to change them, you're just banging your head against a wall.

Now spare a thought for the farang bar-owners who actually try to change the way their staff do things! Now there's a farang I'll pity, but not you whingers, just relax and enjoy yourselves a bit accepting the way things are will you?

[transam]

Whether a restaurant, bar or a private residence it is the norm in LOS to keep the ''guests'' glass topped up.

Edited April 20, 2013 by transam

[BWPattaya]

I hope that the rest of my life has no more important problems than a pretty girl pouring my drink for me.

Some people need to get out more.

[rgs2001uk]

Never heard of anyone going to a place of sanook and bitching about lithe young pretties fussing and fawning over them, still thats the beauty of TV some members never fail to dissapoint.

rgs, you are entirely correct - there is absolutely no mention of 'Pretties' in my OP - once again ...... all in your own head.

Off on one of your tangents again... nothing much changes.

Well IF they were uglies I feel your pain.

At the moment I have better things to do than engage in a spat of keyboard masterbation with you, dont take it personally.