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Home » Reader question » Reader Question: What is a customary tip in Thailand?
Reader Question: What is a customary tip in Thailand?
Dear readers,
I have a question about tips. What is common? And I am talking about – the hotels – the transport by taxi and tuc tuc – food guides etc.
Is 10% a good match, or is that too much?
M curious,
Sincerely,
Sweater
I adhere to the 10% standard all over the world, and therefore also in Thailand, but only if I think the service level warrants it.
Some people always tip. Not me.
If I have to wait a long time, the staff is unfriendly, I don't get what was asked for, or the product just isn't good, I don't tip.
If the service and product are better than average and/or expected, I sometimes want to give more than 10%.
There is no customary tip amount or percentage. You tip as an extra because you are satisfied with the service. Since prices are often negotiated, I assume (unless they try really hard) that the tip is included. With extra service such as excellent service in the restaurant. good massage, taxi that helps you with suitcases, etc. I often give extra tip money, often 100 baht for massages, 50 baht taxi or tuktuk. Food, depending on the number of people at the table, is approximately between 5 and 10% of the total price. Once again the guiding principle should be the quality of the service. If I am dropped off somewhere by a TukTuk bouncing in all directions, no tip is given. If I get a massage and after a few minutes request to make it a little softer or a little harder. If you then do not receive a difference in treatment, then no tip.
Dear Trui,
When entering a hotel, for the suitcase boy, about 40 bath per suitcase is a normal tip, there are certainly people who give more or less, someone must also determine this according to the given situation.
For the girl who tidies and cleans my room every day, I can count on about the same amount every day. A fixed price is usually set for the Tuk Tuk, so that a tip is not really expected. At a taximeter, a tip is only customary if the driver is extra helpful with, for example, carrying the suitcase, otherwise the amount will only be rounded up. At a restaurant, the service fee is often stated on the menu, and can be found later on the bill when paying, where I usually reward the service extra when satisfied, by personally pressing it discreetly in my hand.
But what is often peanuts for us is a welcome reward for anyone who provides good service in Thailand.
Now I feel a bit of nostalgia…. in fact, tipping was never customary in Thailand or anywhere else in SE Asia. In Japan it is still an insult if you do it.
Because a certain pattern of expectations has been created by the tourists who started tipping, you will have to tip in the more expensive restaurants.
But normally you don't tip in the cheap places. You can do it, but you don't have to.
I do a little calculation: if I give 20 baht and the servant gets that from every visitor, I think he gets a lot. 20 baht is about 10% of a minimum daily wage. So if 20 people give him something, he will have 200% more tips than salary in a day. Be granted to him.
If you are going to give 10% or more at an average price of 500 baht or more, that person will earn a disproportionate amount. Of course that is nice for him/her, but relatively simply too much.
But that's me, who only spent 35 years in Thailand and 30 years traveling the world.....many will know better hahahaha….
I don't want to say that I know better and am laughed at in advance, but I do want to say that I see it differently! First of all, the minimum daily wage in Thailand means nothing at all, you can barely pay the rent for a meager room. Furthermore, giving tips is a personal matter. If you have received good service, which in fact you should, it is a pleasant way for both the giver and the receiver to complete the business transaction of paying the bill with a tip. And especially in the cheap establishments a tip is more than welcome, without it they don't deserve the salt in the porridge. A guide who arranges everything for you, a private driver who takes you to the airport, a chambermaid who cleans up your mess, a waiter who does his best for you, etc. etc., are all very grateful for an extra reward on their low income. Now I know that, for example, a construction worker or farm worker no longer earns money, but I simply do not come into direct contact with that. It is unlikely that the employee in your calculation would receive 200% more in tips than in salary in one day. Apparently more people use this calculation because very often I see that no tip is given at all. Moreover, it is very common in the Thai catering industry to share the tip with the cooks, dishwashers and cashiers. The fact that it was not customary to tip in the past in Southeast Asia is no reason for me not to do so now! Over the last 20 years or so, Asia, including Thailand, has seen a lot of changes compared to the past. By the way, I would like to note, without meaning you Sjaak, that many Europeans suddenly appear to have principles; out of “principle” they do not give a tip, yes yes, these are often the people who have no principles when receiving a big bonus on top of their salary. I wish Trui a pleasant holiday in Thailand and for every tip she gives away she will receive a grateful look.
In Thailand, the service fee is included in the price in most places, just like in the Netherlands. Where this is not the case (often in large hotels), it is added separately to the bill.
So there is no need to tip anywhere. It is customary in Thailand to leave the small change. But not everyone does even that.
Those who have the money plague can of course give a tip in addition to the service fee already paid, but that is not the intention in countries where the service fee is already included in the prices or is stated separately on the bill. If you buy something in a shop or at the market, you don't tip, do you? There you (most likely) even try to haggle.
Look, you have to see this against the salaries. A waitress who earns 8000 baht a month sees a tip of 100 baht as a very nice addition to her salary. A few of those clients and she'll have more than her paycheck for the day. Now I know that vultures and some of them want to peck in the restaurant, but that is up to the waitress to admit to this.
If it's an inclusive price like at larger restaurants, Marriott, Hyatt etc. and then 10% on top of a bill that's often 3 baht, yes from the crazy one, her all day salary, from a customer as a tip (slim service charge mentioned) so no tip.
What makes me pretty angry is an enforced service charge and then if you pay with VISA, then also sign a VISA panties that you can tip on.
But yes Holland has long put aside the voluntary tip and re-named ministry money. And then tipping over is expected and an ugly face or even a comment if you don't want to participate in that nonsense.
In Thailand, local rest. the pizza place, invariably 40 baht tip and the girl is happy with that.
And let's not spoil things for the Thai as farang
For clarity :
I've only talked about food above. I never pay anything extra in a tuk-tuk because we pay foreigners there much more than Thai people. In a taxi I round up the amount on the meter. I don't tip in expensive hotels. There is always a generous service charge on the bill. In cheap hotels yes. For guides, it largely depends on the price of the excursion. I do not tip on excursions where it is explicitly stated that it is “all in”.
I consider a (non-mandatory) tip as an investment. A place I visit for the first time = no tip. If I come here more than once, I always give a tip if the service is good, normal or very good. Nothing if the service leaves much to be desired. With a tip I show my appreciation and buy good welcome for the future.
I go to Thailand for a month every year and always budget generously for tips. I like to give generous and good tips. I have always had to rely on tips because in the Dutch catering industry you usually work for the minimum wage, but the tips allow me to now afford to go to Thailand every year. Restaurant 10 to 15 percent a beer 10 or 20 bath chambermaid 40 bath per day and that always makes my stay in Thailand very pleasant.
If I can no longer afford that, I will stop traveling to Thailand. Live and let live!
Moderator: please don't chat.
I had put the tip for the girl who cleaned my room on the bed, when I forgot something and came back to my room the tip was gone, while my bed was not changed.
Since then I give it directly to the girl, usually you see them somewhere in the hallway.
Otherwise tip a little more the next day.
Personally, I never worry too much about what I do or don't tip. It is mainly inherent to the feeling I have of the service provided. To be fair, I must mention that there are also occasions when the benefit of certain privileges plays a role.
Sometimes I witness that children help in their parents' business during their vacation. I then like to show these children my appreciation by giving them 20 baht each. It's not much, but as a child I experienced myself how happy you can be with that.
Another example that I don't want to withhold from you here is that I regularly throw 1000 baht into the musician's tip jar. Not much either, but when I have enjoyed and enjoyed myself for an evening and see how hard they have tried. Then I cannot sell it to myself that I would distinguish here with performances that are comparable to here in Holland. Where the rates are significantly higher.
Often it does not go unnoticed and the Band members come to thank me personally. Not that it's for me to do that, but it does give me the opportunity to express my appreciation verbally and often an animated conversation about music follows.
With some I still have good contact after all these years, or when I show up again after years, they still know me by name. And I can assure you that it feels nice.
🙂 🙂
Hello
Thank you very much for the quick and useful responses…
I can do something with that!
Almost everyone will be happy with 10%. In case of an unpleasant experience, also dare not to tip. It shouldn't be taken for granted. And if it suits you, do it where it is less obvious, at a 7-eleven or a pharmacy or something.
After 37 years in Thailand, I know the ins and outs extremely well, if I say so myself. Experience has taught me that a tip can do wonders. For example, when you check into the hotel, you ask which cleaning lady will clean your room every day (or at least 6 out of seven). Then you give that girl 200 baht upon arrival, for example. Her day is good and you can always count on that little something extra from her. During my stay I give 20 to 40 baht every day and when I leave I call her to load all the things that I don't want to take home with me and she can then get them (provided I write a note for the management so that they can is not accused of theft.)
In restaurants I usually leave a 100 baht note as a tip (what is 2,5 euros ???) In case of bad service or unfriendliness, of course not.
In bars you usually get a few girls who do most of the serving for you. Then I give them a tip separately and I only put 20 baht in the “jar”. Those who work for it get the most appreciation and believe me, they will take good care of you.
A lot depends on whether you go to an expensive restaurant or a cheap one, a restaurant where the bill is 3000 bath and then you still give 10 percent is still there, I think.
On the other hand, if I go to eat in a cheap restaurant and I pay 200 baht, well, yes, then I give 10 percent or 20 baht, actually I usually give 20/30 baht and they are quite happy with it!