Tipping service providers

Hello all,

I read somewhere about the rules of tipping service providers.

It explained that the Thais expect a tip almost everytime a service has been provided. Some examples include- Touir guides,hotel cleaners, hotel baggage handlers, at a resteraunt, cab drivers,

street food vendors, etc etc.

How much should you give? And when should it stop?

On a 14 day trip over there next week, i am starting to think that the bill from tipping alone is going

to be a substantial amount that we need to bugget for.

Whats should we allow for?

Thanks

Tipping service providers

It%26#39;s incorrect that everyone receives a tip in Thailand. When you do tip, tip a small gratuity. Nothing major. If someone does something extraordinary - then definitely show your gratitude. But for run of the mill services:

Bags taken upstairs to your room. How many? How heavy? 15-20 baht

Wait staff in restaurant. Most restaurants add a 10% service charge. Thus, no tip.

Tour guides. For me, it depends on the quality. One city tour guide did a really good job! I tipped him 25 baht.

Another tour guide took did a mediocre job. At the end of the afternoon, he reminded everyone that gratuities are appreciated. He said it 3x. I was offended by the solicitation, and the quality of his work. He didn%26#39;t get a nickel from me.

Cab drivers - small gratuity.

Housecleaning - small gratuity, if any. It%26#39;s not expected.

Tipping service providers

I agree with the above. In general, Thais DON%26#39;T expect a tip. Street food vendors etc. will do little extras for you without a thought that you should pay extra. That%26#39;s part of the culture.

Those who do get a tip - hotel porters who carry your baggage, waiters, hotel cleaners etc. usually get a modest amount - 10 or 20 baht unless there%26#39;s been some sort of really extraordinary service. I keep a few 20s in my side pocket when I%26#39;m traveling so I don%26#39;t have to open my wallet.

Taxi drivers just get a rounding off of the metered fare, ie if the meter says 123 you pay 130 or 140 at the most. I sometimes add 20 or so if the guy was nice and helpful and didn%26#39;t try any scams. If he does try any fast ones he gets nothing.

Tips in Thailand are never expected to be a percentage of the bill - they%26#39;re what they once were in our culture too, just a small gratuity to say thanks. So 20 baht is appropriate on most occasions. It doesn%26#39;t matter what your tipping behaviour is at home, or if you%26#39;re a service person at home who depends on tips; this is how it is in Thailand.

Don%26#39;t give out 100 baht tips; they%26#39;re ridiculous. It%26#39;s immaterial how little that may seem when exchanged into your home currency. Just to put things in perspective, 200 baht is a daily wage for unskilled workers. You wouldn%26#39;t be giving tips worth half a day%26#39;s pay at home. 20 baht is real money for a Thai worker, it%26#39;s enough for a lunch at a food stand, for example.

I don%26#39;t take guided tours, but I don%26#39;t think I would tip the tour guide more than the standard 20 baht. Nothing at all if the guide drags you to restaurants, boutiques or jewelry stores that pay commissions. And if the guide runs his or her own business, I%26#39;d just pay the quoted fee. I would assume he or she has calculated the profit margin into the charge.

There are a couple of exceptions. Massage people apparently get extremely little out of what you pay. The house takes the lion%26#39;s share. So I understand Thais often give an extra 100 baht. And the same applies to hairdressers, but in that case 50 baht seems appropriate.

Tipping is a western thing Thais do not normally tip.

As to how much

Taxi round up to the next 5 Baht

Restaurants - check the bill if 10% added - no tip unless the waiter has made your time exceptional then maybe 20 Baht If you want to tip your waiter in a restaurant give the tip to the waiter do not put it in the bill wallet.

Street food no tip

Baggage carrier easy guide no more than 20 Baht

Tour guides - you have already paid for the service

Most service providers are paid to provide the service and their wage is part included in your bill. Only give a tip if they have gone out of their way to make your experience exceptionally nice then never more than 50 Baht.

If you are going to use the same bar all your trip then tip on the first trip to the waiters hand.

Many places will put coins and small notes into the bill wallet when they return your change. Count the coins you may be surprised how much is in coins and small notes.

Hotel cleaner - leave a few small coins on the bed when you leave.

A nice tip is 20 Baht in most situations. That is less than 1 aus$ and will buy a good meal for a Thai on a street stall.

Hope this helps

Oh yeah, Breconion brushed on something. If you%26#39;re in a bar or restaurant and you want to reward a specific server, put the money in his or her hand. Don%26#39;t add it to the bill when you pay. Money left in the check wallet or added on the credit card payment is pooled, and maybe even management takes a cut. A 20 baht note in the hand goes directly where it was intended.

I just read Bill%26#39;s reply and I forgot massage and hairdresser.

If your massage costs 250 Baht per hour the lady would normally get about 50 Baht or slightly less. 50 Baht on a one hour massage would be appreciated and you would be remembered if you went back a second time.

Be careful of hair saloons if you get haircut shampoo manicure pedicure facial etc as you may find 2 or 3 or even 4 staff will work on you. keep it small even if there were 3 working on you.

Tips is not Thai culture. It%26#39;s up to your satisfaction. i usually give 20-40 b to hotel porters, 20-50-100 to waiter or waitress depend on what kind of restaurant and how they treat me, 10-20 B for taxi driver. As other said, you should pay at least 50-100 b for masseur, normally 50 b per hour, they will treat you like a king when you visit they again next time.

Gotta say that i know no person working in the service industry in BKK that would find a tip of 5-20 baht excessive OR even generous! and contray to the statements of some other posters i believe that there IS now a well established culture of tipping in Thailand - one example being your Hotel room maid where a tip IS most definately expected! ideally on a %26#39;per day basis%26#39; as it is quite possible that your maid will be a different person every day. I am of the opinion that a tip of 50 baht per day will be well received and ensure you that your room is given a good clean. Of course tipping is a very personal thing and i am in no way castigating anyone else%26#39;s view in relation to the amounts given but these are my normal amounts - room maid 50, Taxi 20/40, Bell hop 50, massage 100, oh . . . and that little honey on reception at the pen, well i would like to tip her for being just PERFECT !!! (THE BEST LOOKING DAME I%26#39;VE EVER CLAPPED EYES ON)

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