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Home » Reader question » Reader question: should I or should I not tip in Thailand and how much?
Dear readers,
We are going on holiday to Thailand for the first time at the end of August. We must be doing some reading, especially on this blog. we still have doubts about whether or not you should tip in Thailand? Of course I understand that you should not tip if you have not been helped properly. But if it does? And how much should you give?
Regards,
Frank
In Thailand it is customary to tip 10% of the bill in a restaurant.
It is my experience that if you give a generous tip of 100 baht per week at the hotel at breakfast, this is greatly appreciated. I also give the chambermaid 20 baht daily (put it on the bed). Much appreciated. Have a good trip, Peter
I don't know what you're basing that claim on, but in Thailand tipping – and certainly not 10% – is not a custom at all.
Where did you get your info? You are definitely not a permanent resident of Thailand. Possibly your info comes from someone who didn't have to live partly on tips. It totally depends on where and what you consume. If you consider a 50THB soup, along the street side, as your main meal, then you don't tip. But if you eat in a good restaurant and are well served, you do give a tip. Know your world man.
I am against any form of tipping. Giving away money because people are well served? That is his or her job and, like any other job, should be done to the best of his ability. Does your boss also give you a tip after work is done? I do not think so.
That you are against tips for whatever reason, probably just stinginess, is up to you. I think it's a bit exaggerated to say that in 3 comments. I wouldn't be surprised if you require extra service. In the Netherlands, every employee and even state pensioners receive holiday pay. Can they only dream of in Thailand. With a little imagination you can also consider that as a tip, just like bonuses, gratuities, profit distributions and a thirteenth month. Assume that you do not accept that from your employer, after all you have already been sufficiently paid for the work done.
Cornelius indeed. In tourist areas, a tip is certainly appreciated, but in the interior it may be that people look at you uncomprehendingly if you pay more than what they ask.
Giving a tip is a Western custom if one is satisfied with the service or quality provided
NOTE: It happens that before the chambermaid comes to do your room, someone else comes to see if there is a tip, and the chambermaid has nothing yet. Experienced myself.
Have fun there.
There is no need to tip at all. My wife is a real thai and dislikes me.
Hotel bell boy 10 or 20 bath.
Give the chambermaid YOURSELF the money 10 to 20 bath
Restaurant service the same. I often round up the price and if I have to pay 478 baht, for example, I give 500. Then always leave the change in the envelope on the table.
Taxi is different depends a bit on who it is you are going to. No tip on the “hire” taxi from suvarnabhumi to Jomtien a 100 or 1500 bath.
Same in group taxi bus or in Jomtien bus.
Ordinary taxi sometimes depending on time and journey time. Depend on additional service. I myself always start from the kilometers traveled (to be checked via Google maps). The price must be close to the price of the driven km and the duration (list hangs in the taxi). You should also pay a 50 baht surcharge from the airport because the driver pays that to be allowed to come on arrival.
Please note that the fare will come further and the passenger will pay the toll on the highway. This is NOT included in the meter price.
The first km costs 35 baht as standard. a 5 km ride comes on a 55 bath and a 10 km on an 80 bath.
I know when I get in the taxi how far it is easy to check with google maps.
I do tip. Ride price 85 baht just give 100 baht if the driver is nice.
If I think or know that he drove a "tourist" route no bath tip.
Oh be careful with a taxi that you have change with you. Many taxi drivers have not returned 1000 bath.
rental taxi not 100 to 1500 but 1100 to 1500 bath
Stop with that nonsense, with that big Bwana mentality, just show how powerful you are, and certainly financially above those working slobs.
Don't you realize that the way you approach services is being prostituted, another disadvantage is that those, in your eyes poor wage slaves, will become dependent on tips in the future, because the boss thinks that is a nice exploitative model.
No, stop doing that very quickly, and certainly not on the chest that you as a financially almighty farang get extra service, because you can buy it, e.g. the ordinary Thai in his own country should expect a little less service, because he can't with his money sprinkle?
Tipping was uncommon in Thailand, but foreign tour guides have introduced it. There are group tours with a mandatory tip jar. In the meantime, the tip has become fashionable in places where many foreign tourists come.
In bars aimed at Westerners, the ladies ask for a tip.
In real Thailand, a tip in a restaurant is only customary if the staff has really made an effort for the customer. People are often already in the clouds with a small amount. Often that is the small change.
You also give a tip to the bell boy of the hotel when he carries the suitcases to your room. These bell boys are very important in providing numerous services. 20 baht is a nice amount.
Also think about the chambermaid. If you have slept in a hotel for a week, the lady with 100 baht will be delighted.
You pay the agreed amount for a taxi. If there is a meter, you pay the amount stated on the meter.
Seems pretty clear to me.
We are the top layer of a rich country (otherwise you can't do this kind of travel) and we are talking about the bottom layer of a poor country (usually with the minimum income in the ministry).
So I would say: tip in proportion to the amount you spend.
And don't haggle everywhere (except at very touristy sales spots)
have fun
Has already been discussed on Thailandblog.
Have a look at: https://www.thailandblog.nl/toerisme/fooi/
In general, I would not behave differently than in the Netherlands. Depending on how satisfied you are, leave the change, round the amount up or say leave a percent or 10. Please note that some restaurants charge a 10% service charge, whether you want to add a tip is up to you.
Service providers in the hotel (suitcase carriers, housekeeping) do indeed give baht or 20+. Personally, I find the unwritten rule of 20 baht for years to be little given the inflation. Depending on what I have on hand I keep it at 20-40 baht.
Of course also just being friendly to the people around you. A smile, a nod of your head (a greeting with the 'closed hands, the 'wai' should not be returned to service personnel) and a thank you (khap-koen-khrap' if you speak as a man or 'khap koen kha ' when speaking as a woman) is appreciated by all. Just a logical natural way to show your gratitude to other people. With good will and a smile you often get that back, treat others as you would like to be treated yourself or what you yourself would appreciate.
If you really want to dive into the topic of tips, you can use the search function on this blog to find various blogs with a thousand and 1 responses about yes, no, how much tip, why, etc. But I would say, do what feels right for you.
Dear Rob, service charge of usually 10% and then VAT of 7% on the entire bill are surcharges that are mainly entered separately on the invoice by the more expensive (hotel) restaurants. Often there is ++ on the menu. It would be simpler and fairer to state all prices inclusive on the card. Many people associate service charge with tip and assume that it benefits the wait staff. However, service charge is not a tip, usually just goes to the owner. Comparable to the term 'couvert', formerly common in Italy and France and even more so in Croatia, for which you then get a small basket of bread with a cup of butter, for example. Like you, I would advise Frank to tip 20 or 40 baht to the bell boy, the room cleaner at least 20 baht p / day and when you talk about the receptionist, who may give you a lot of advice, you can also give a little something. In restaurants the wages are very low and a tip is highly appreciated. A percentage cannot be mentioned, about a bill of roughly 3000 baht you do not have to tip 300 baht, but just do as you are used to in the Netherlands. Again I read in comments that 'according to my Thai wife' tips are unnecessary. Well, that's her opinion and her business, I think completely differently and as long as I can afford it I'll be happy to give a nice tip.
Tipping is customary. When my Thai partner pays the bill she never gives more than 20 baht. I sometimes give a little more, but max 40 baht. Certainly not 10 or 15% of the bill, which is more common in European countries.
There is only 1 country in the world where you shouldn't tip because it's an insult and that's Japan
And don't be stingy
Only in America do they have a solution for simply adding 20 percent to the bill
We have family in America. We come there often ourselves and my family refuses a bill with 20%
additional. Out of 10 people in a restaurant I see nine not tipping my family only gives money
valet parking $1. Of course you give the waitress who brings you drinks in the casino something but the
most people don't care. In Thailand, of course, the bell boy and the maid in her hand.
Type in the search field “Tip” and you will find the answer
Here we go again (to tip or not and how much).
If the food was good/delicious and the service friendly, then I tip AS MUCH as I would in the Netherlands. And then I make no distinction that the menu / dish was much cheaper in Thailand (so it can very occasionally be that my tip is even higher than what the dish cost). Why should you tip less in Thailand?
Why should you tip anywhere? In my eyes it is extortion.
Tipping only happens where there are tourists
I live in the isaan and you just pay your bill there
But never a tip though
Drinking water, for example, that are bottles of 20 liters cost 12 baht
It is put in my shed by the best man
Shed is always open and there is a bowl with change
And he takes out his own money
We go out to eat what we do every day
Never tip anyone here
Dear Aad, My friend from Isaan came to visit me and showed her your reaction. She reacted a bit surprised, even in the Isaan giving a tip is very much appreciated. Even the Thai do it. How much you want to give is up to you.
If you don't, that's fine too, but according to her, your heart isn't in the right place. An amount of 10 or 20 baht is enough and makes people happy and appreciate it very much. However, an excessively large tip is “not done”.
How would you like to be treated yourself if you try to provide a guest with good service for an often small wage?
Certainly people in hotels, and this is no different even in Europe, are dependent on a tip because otherwise they cannot even live on their often meager wages.
If you immediately give a good tip to a luggage carrier in a hotel, you will usually also benefit from this during your entire stay.
The same applies to a chambermaid who shakes your hands every day, so that she might also be happy to bring you extra drinking water or a fresh towel, for example.
In the better hotels, the staff are taught that as long as a guest has not yet checked out, all money and other belongings that may be found from the chambermaid remain the property of the guest at all times.
Therefore, during this Period, do not leave tip money on the bed or anywhere else, but rather give it personally.
It is different if the guest has already checked out and leaves a tip on the bedside table as a final thank you.
Being happy to serve yourself well in a hotel, restaurant, or any other service, and then being too stingy to tip, should be more than embarrassing for anyone.
No one forces them to work for a small wage and providing good service is part of that job.
Dear Bertus, In a country where there is no social security system as we know it from Europe, and moreover the work opportunities are not that great, people seize every opportunity to at least provide for their livelihood.
If you thought about this a little bit, you would reconsider your extremely short-sighted response that everything is voluntary and nothing forced.
We (TH/NL) always give a tip of 40 Baht plus the small change that comes back. Well they really do appreciate it. If we come back to eat again we will be very welcome. Don't forget that they often earn no more than 8000 Baht per month or less.
The minimum wage in Thailand is 325 baht per day. Especially if you are in tourist areas and as an employee or employee and you speak good English, it is often already at a 400 bath.
Usually a 10 hour work day.
However, especially in shops and the like, the sellers or saleswomen often receive a commission of 5% of what has been or is being sold.
For restaurants, the 10% fee is divided among all staff. So not only the waitresses but also the cook, the dishwasher, the reception employee, the man at the parking lot, etc. So all (with good employers) get their share of it.
I come every year on holiday in Thailand, if I am served nice and well I give a tip. If I sit in the bar all evening, 50 bath is really not too much. (I think). I also think such an amount is good in a restaurant where you had a good meal and were served well. Chamber maid who has everything neatly arranged 40 bath. Forget about the towels for example 20, she'll get it right for next time. If you are having a drink in a bar with a member of staff, it is also normal to give something. (depending on the company you will tip) Thais really earn very moderately, and a tip is very welcome. The thai bath is so strong at the moment that a thai simply doesn't have enough to buy a beer if he was allowed to be free. (many also work 7 days a week to still pay for cream and buy food, and to have internet. Good luck.
I agree with your story, but not that of the strong Thai baht. He/she is paid in baht and also pays in baht. So it doesn't matter to him / her, the price remains the same.
In Thailand we always give a tip, depending on the service and quality, in the Netherlands hardly any service is paid here via collective agreement, is already expensive enough here in the Netherlands
We always give a small tip, even at the restaurants with ++ in the price.
The tip does depend on what is offered and, of course, how you are treated.
also in LOS they are sometimes less friendly than you would expect 🙂
But we never give exaggerated tips.
Usually between 30 and 50 Thb, unless the service is extremely friendly and you have a very good evening, then a larger (personal) tip is appropriate.
I leave that to my wife, partly in view of the fact that I never actually have more than a small 3 – 400 Thb in my pocket.
I myself experienced it with a colleague, on holiday in Thailand, that I found it a great annoyance.
He always had his money in a bundle and at checkout the whole bundle always appeared with the person who had to be paid looking at this wealth with wide eyes.
Together to the hairdresser where a haircut costs 100 baht , get out a bundle of banknotes and pay 100 baht plus a 100 baht tip , somewhere I was forced to do the same to avoid disappointment from the girl who cut me , personally I think 50 baht is enough tip but in this case it was 100 bath.
And so it went throughout the holiday, the doorman of the hotel, waitresses, all kinds of hotel staff all got 100 baht in their hands just like that.
Last evening when checking out of the hotel, my room was checked and I was told that I would not get my deposit back because there was dried blood on a sheet.
It was impossible for me to place it myself, it was an extremely small vague speck that had dried in and had clearly been there for a long time, so an old vague stain that apparently did not come out in the wash.
We were about to get into the taxi so there was no time for discussion.
In the taxi my colleague said, yes you were just done by that man! but if he had occasionally given him 100 baths, nothing would have happened.
Learned something again but I still do it my way, every day 20 bath on my bed for the cleaning lady and 20 to 50 bath at most in a restaurant.
Many fly halfway around the world because they are lucky enough to earn at least an hourly wage for which many Thais have to work a whole day of often 10 hours, and then also have the arrogance to have a discussion about whether or not we should tip.
Does it hurt us so much if we occasionally hand people a few Baht so that they also have a little better life?
Sorry if I read some of the comments, then I can get sick of so much short-sightedness and tightness.
my conclusion is always tip in hand. The waitress does a good job so she gets it herself. My girlfriend works in a restaurant and it's outrageous how little tip she gets for the hard work she does. Greetings
Also sometimes wonder when I read another article about tipping how much people tip at BigC or 7/11.
These people often earn even less per day than someone in the hospitality industry.
I myself regularly go and get larger quantities for my daughter, which she needs for her shop.
If I then want to tip the man or woman who walks with me to the car with the packed shopping carts, they look at me as if they see water burning. quickly ready to help me, so it has an advantage)