Thread: Your Tipping Habits In Thailand

I am wondering do you tip in Thailand?

I never see a Thai tip and I have heard that Thais call us "Cheap Charlies" if we do not tip.

Do you always tip, sometimes tip if the service is good, never tip because you are a cheap charlie, or never tip because you are trying to assimilate into Thai culture?

Originally Posted by chitown

I never see a Thai tip

you aint looking then

I think we over tip, ie give to much. This being the reason why we call Thailand Land of Smiles. The bigger the smile the bigger the tip.

I usually tip by rounding up 20-30 bht or so, more in a good restaurant.
The exception is when I have a beer at our friendly local shop, where it seems quite pointless to tip anyway because they own about half the village and are considerably wealthier than I.

If she swallows..

I tip the same as Sabang.

A farang who owned a restaurant for two years told me that he never had one baht in tips from thai customers. Only farang would leave a tip.

i always make sure i have some 20 baht notes for tipping purposes. i feel like a right bastard if i dont tip anything. thats in thailand though. In singapore i dont tip often at all.

Hows karratha SBF?

Originally Posted by MeMock

Hows karratha SBF?

i left this morning.

well its a different kind of place. Crappy hotel cost me $350 for a night. Lucky its not my own money.

It was my first time seeing kangaroos outside of a zoo.

And they have trains which are like 2 miles long transporting iron ore.

The flight back from Perth today was full of pissed up oil workers. A bit of a nightmare, but even worse for the flight attendants.

Now I am in Fremantle. The Esplanade hotel was fully booked so now I am in the Tradewinds hotel and wondering why I the beer I got from the minibar is only 2.7% alcohol.

Usually tip if service and food good but always hand it somewhat surreptitiously to the waitress/waiter to make sure they get the tip and not the owner. Never tip at restaurants that add a service charge to the bill. Really hate that one!!

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

^ Why do you tip more in upscale restaurants or farang owned places?

if that's directed to me, in farang oriented places because i'm assuming that their employer sets their wages somewhat lower because of expected tips from foreigners. in more upscale thai restaurants, i suppose i tip because of perceived societal pressure.

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

If I am asked for a tip it's never given.

my wife and i went out for indian last weekend, and the bill came to 590. the waiter returned with 4 one hundred baht notes and two five baht coins. i ended up leaving 100, because he was particularly helpful and we had a good meal, but i didn't like being put in the position.

Originally Posted by Norton

Never tip at restaurants that add a service charge to the bill. Really hate that one!!

me too.

I always tip pretty generously.

Originally Posted by Milkman

I assume that Thais tip, then. Correct?

in my experience yes. but again, it depends on the restaurant.

does anyone tip taxi drivers here in thailand? how about the person who cuts your hair? i've been told by thais (somewhat forcefully) not to do it...so generally i don't.

i leave the coins in the bars and in restaurants around 20 baht. Expensive restaurants include service so i dont tip then.
golf caddies 300 baht.
taxi drivers up to the nearest 10 baht.

Originally Posted by Norton

Hairdresser usually 50 baht.

Is it a very expensive hairdresser or are you tipping her or him 50%? Or is it a "hairdresser" i.e. a brothel in disguise?

Thais tip, just not a lot. Usually just rounding up the coins or 20 bhat or so. To be honest I do the same.
Taxi's, occasionaly round up
Hairdresser, never, (it only used to cost 20 bhat anyway)
Food, stalls occasionaly round up
Resterant, 20 bhat or so

Originally Posted by Fabian

Is it a very expensive hairdresser or are you tipping her or him 50%? Or is it a "hairdresser" i.e. a brothel in disguise?

Don't think it's a brothel in disguise but sometimes I fall asleep when getting my hair cut so who knows.

Your guess of 50% is pretty close I reckon. Probably too much but guess it's just a habit now.

it's still peanuts though.

Originally Posted by slimboyfat

it's still peanuts though.

Yes it is to my way of thinking. I'm often reminded by my wife I sometimes tip to much in the Thai sense but even after living in Thailand since moby dick was a minnow I consider it small change.

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

I tip if I get good service, never that much, coins or 20 baht or so.

But I have my pet hates as well...

If I am asked for a tip it's never given. .

I've got a tip for you Maddy...

The wife says no tip at sidewalk restaurants.

She said no tip or a few baht for taxis.

For Thais she said they do not tip much and if they do they round up to 5 to 10 baht.