Thai / Foot Massage

[joinme2leave]

eeermm...excuse me...in case somebody here wanna critisize my last comment...gonna fly China tomorrow and cannot reply in whatever way. Will be there for some weeks and similar there follow the rules...MY rules...in china as anywhere else around the globe....tip or no tip is....up2me...

wishing you a happy SONGKRAN

[jdinasia]

Right ... that's the way to be ... ignore good manners and local behaviour and say "we did it this way in the EU so there!"

[John K]

If tipping is American, then how do you explain some checks from restaurants that itemize 10% service charge that essentially is a tip? You can find them all up and down Sukhumvit.

I certainly would not tip my doctor, however I would tip someone who is trying to make a living and was far from the top of the ladder. Several places have girls that don’t do certain massages because they have not been taught. Apparently an oil massage requires little or no training, however Thai and Foot massages do. For a oil massage apparently there are only 3 requirements. 1 identify the oil, 2 identify the customer, 3 be cute.

Somehow it seems appropriate to tip in Thailand. I guess my thinking is I don’t view any massage in Thailand as therapeutic, however in the states I do.

The first massage I ever has what when I was about 20. It was at a health club. He was set up in the locker room and he certainly knew his stuff. He used a lot of Reflexology and did an excellent job and knocking out the kinks. Some of the things he did were very similar to a Thai massage such as lifting your leg over your head to stretch the muscles. That was particularly good after a workout as it kept you from getting the muscle ache after overdoing it. He was always booked solid and you often had to book days in advance. He gave up working at a hospital and became very successful on his own. He probably gave me 50 massages and I never tipped him once. That is because I knew the fee was all his.

On Sukhumvit 22 a few doors down on the right is a place that advertised Swedish massage 350 ThB for 1 hour in their window. I was a bit disheartened when the girl asked the manager in Thai how to give a Swedish massage. The answer was even worse, “same same oil.”

[Rinrada]

Me thinks if I ever want a foot massage I will just go for a walk......my Tip

[daleyboy]

Me thinks if I ever want a foot massage I will just go for a walk......my Tip

Now that IS a cheap charly tip for everyone

[jackr]

If tipping is American, then how do you explain some checks from restaurants that itemize 10% service charge that essentially is a tip? You can find them all up and down Sukhumvit.

Because it's been adopted from you guys dummy

[robitusson]

If tipping is American, then how do you explain some checks from restaurants that itemize 10% service charge that essentially is a tip? You can find them all up and down Sukhumvit.

Up and down where? Sukhumvit. Where all the tourists are. In the other 75 provinces of Thailand, away from all the Farangs who've only just arrived and are shelling out money like smarties, tipping is never expected.

[meemiathai]

If one can afford, why not tip a bit generously when someone has been working really hard to give one a good time? Don't people like to see everyone happy? If one can afford, doesn't one want to see a mother or a wife returning home with some gifts or some better food to have a warm and happy evening? Why judge with what they should be earning instead of what oneself wanting to give?

If those massage ladies live in tin-sheeted houses and merely earn enough to survive, do people still say they are already luckier than those who are starving in Africa?

Honestly, are people here happy with their lives? Do people here feel lucky being borned farang and have so many opportunities in their life?

It's reasonable not to tip if one can't afford to. But for those who are earning farang wages, I can't understand why they will not tip after they have had a good time.

[robitusson]

If one can afford, why not tip a bit generously when someone has been working really hard to give one a good time? Don't people like to see everyone happy? If one can afford, doesn't one want to see a mother or a wife returning home with some gifts or some better food to have a warm and happy evening? Why judge with what they should be earning instead of what oneself wanting to give?

If those massage ladies live in tin-sheeted houses and merely earn enough to survive, do people still say they are already luckier than those who are starving in Africa?

Honestly, are people here happy with their lives? Do people here feel lucky being borned farang and have so many opportunities in their life?

It's reasonable not to tip if one can't afford to. But for those who are earning farang wages, I can't understand why they will not tip after they have had a good time.

Tourism is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, industries in Thailand. If every tourist tips thoughtlessly, inflation goes through the roof, which it's already doing in LoS. When tourists tip all the time employees expect it so it's not a treat, they start to depend on it. People leave the traditional important industries like farming for the easy tourist bucks, making these industries poorer. Bosses start expecting tourists to over-tip, so they pay less to compensate and it's no longer an extra for the workers and it's used to subsidise poor wages from greedy bosses, just like it does for workers in the service industries in Europe and North America.

Tip responsibly.

Edited April 14, 2006 by robitusson

[Neeranam]

I am in downtown Sukhumvit today and wanted a head massage for 15-30 min. Bloody impossible to get one without paying 250 baht. Some old hags - mutton dressed as lamb - pulled me into their shop on soi 1 and I explained what I wanted. Their shop was empty, and on the window was "Head Massage 250B" Would they give me half an hour for 125 baht? No, they said it was the same price.

It's a totally different world down there compared to where I live, where I can go into any barber and get a head massage for 30-50 baht.

I like to share my 'wealth', but I'd much rather give the woman who collects my empty plastic bottles and newspapers, for 3 baht a kilo, a 20 baht tip than these massage people in the tourist areas.

[monochaser]

now now, ppl in tourist areas need to make a living. 20 baht aint a life savings. no need to nickel and dime, you need the head massage, you pay the 250. end of story

[monochaser]

everyone I see around sukhumvit tips everytime. when you don't tip, the server looks at you like you're some kind of big keen yow. bottom line is that if you can't tip 20 baht, a mere 50 cents, then you are a severe tight ass with major miserly issues. These people make spit and rely on tips for income

Edited April 14, 2006 by monochaser

[Neeranam]

everyone I see around sukhumvit tips everytime. when you don't tip, the server looks at you like you're some kind of big keen yow

Yeah, this is a problem. I guess when in Rome and all that applies. I'll choose to give it a miss.

I'd rather give them a good laugh and cheer them up than giving them cash. I had one street seller in stitches just by saying - "koi si mia bahn meu heuuuu" I'm going home the day after tomorrow(Lao language) Thai - "pom ja glab bahn ma reu nee"

[John K]

I am in downtown Sukhumvit today and wanted a head massage for 15-30 min. Bloody impossible to get one without paying 250 baht. Some old hags - mutton dressed as lamb - pulled me into their shop on soi 1 and I explained what I wanted. Their shop was empty, and on the window was "Head Massage 250B" Would they give me half an hour for 125 baht? No, they said it was the same price.

It's a totally different world down there compared to where I live, where I can go into any barber and get a head massage for 30-50 baht.

I like to share my 'wealth', but I'd much rather give the woman who collects my empty plastic bottles and newspapers, for 3 baht a kilo, a 20 baht tip than these massage people in the tourist areas.

I find that unusual that they would offer a portion of what is advertized. It must be a very good and kind heart that is doing that. Usually if you want a bowl of cereal, you need buy the whole box. I hope your tip was generous. I have in the past asked them to spend a bit more time on the neck and shoulders after a foot massage, they had no problem with that, they simply abbreviated the foot massage.

[Rinrada]

When I order a half pint of Heine..(not very often) I expect to get and pay for a HALF pint....not a ..p..... when I want a single tic...i dont get a return and when we ask for 500bt of juice in the charabang the wee laddie puts in....5 loy bts worth of the stuff...he dosnt fill it up....mai mee ting tong...

[John K]

What I was saying was if the option is not advertized it is unusual to get it. If a restaurant offers 3 or 4 drink sizes like McDonalds then you have a choice. I doubt they would sell you half a cup for less than full price.

[jackr]

If one can afford, why not tip a bit generously when someone has been working really hard to give one a good time? Don't people like to see everyone happy? If one can afford, doesn't one want to see a mother or a wife returning home with some gifts or some better food to have a warm and happy evening? Why judge with what they should be earning instead of what oneself wanting to give?

If those massage ladies live in tin-sheeted houses and merely earn enough to survive, do people still say they are already luckier than those who are starving in Africa?

Honestly, are people here happy with their lives? Do people here feel lucky being borned farang and have so many opportunities in their life?

It's reasonable not to tip if one can't afford to. But for those who are earning farang wages, I can't understand why they will not tip after they have had a good time.

Tourism is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, industries in Thailand. If every tourist tips thoughtlessly, inflation goes through the roof, which it's already doing in LoS. When tourists tip all the time employees expect it so it's not a treat, they start to depend on it. People leave the traditional important industries like farming for the easy tourist bucks, making these industries poorer. Bosses start expecting tourists to over-tip, so they pay less to compensate and it's no longer an extra for the workers and it's used to subsidise poor wages from greedy bosses, just like it does for workers in the service industries in Europe and North America.

Tip responsibly.

Spot on, but I'm afraid they won't listen to you, robitusson.

[monochaser]

What I was saying was if the option is not advertized it is unusual to get it. If a restaurant offers 3 or 4 drink sizes like McDonalds then you have a choice. I doubt they would sell you half a cup for less than full price.

Solid point there Maestro. Neen needs to stick that in his pipe and smoke it. gimme a break

[monochaser]

eeermm...excuse me...in case somebody here wanna critisize my last comment...gonna fly China tomorrow and cannot reply in whatever way. Will be there for some weeks and similar there follow the rules...MY rules...in china as anywhere else around the globe....tip or no tip is....up2me...

wishing you a happy SONGKRAN

In my hometown in the US a few years back, I recall a news story in the paper. a customer in a local restaurant did not leave a tip and was chased outside and attacked by the waiter (who happened to be asian). Bottom line is you don't have to leave a tip but you are hated if you dont

[jdinasia]

If tipping is American, then how do you explain some checks from restaurants that itemize 10% service charge that essentially is a tip? You can find them all up and down Sukhumvit.

Up and down where? Sukhumvit. Where all the tourists are. In the other 75 provinces of Thailand, away from all the Farangs who've only just arrived and are shelling out money like smarties, tipping is never expected.

How funny!

again ... where I go ... Thais tip