Beach Tipping

[Neal]

zWell I know it is far from the same but I ran the bar for 1 1/2 years and there were kmaqny customers. Even in the low season it has been pretty good and I ask them many times about how much did they make in tips? The answer has always been between 40 - 100 baht as they share. 40 - 100 baht so thats why I was aking about tips being shared there and the shared tips being 450 baht and triple on the weekend. Sorry, I just dont see it. Would be fantastic if it were true and I would ask. There is a big BBQ place near my house. Busloads pull in. There is a huge staff chopping cooking, washing dishes and I dont think they make that. Of course I could be wrong and wish your b/f a very happy income.

[christianpfc]

I mean I also see these boys bust thier ass all day long on the beach with the chairs and umbrellas and the tips taht are left are so bad.

Are you tipping people at the gay beach in Jomtien? I see the boys who are carrying the chairs and umbrellas, but it never crossed my mind that tips are expected at the beach. I only pay for my chair and food/drinks I ordered.


If I spend a day at the beach I usually leave 100bht tip for the boys at #25.

Are you referring to the freelance moneyboys (or barboys before work) who are cruising the beach (looking for customers or just spending free time with their friends)?

[Neal]

Oh Cristian, Cristian Cristian!
The boys that work the sections putting up umbrellas from 5am and take them down at 6 pm and run and get you food and drink all day, you have never left them a tip???!!! Well I am really sure they get all excited when you come strolling up! :evil4:

The free lance boys if you call one over and he stays with you awhile is just like a bar boy. If you have them stay with you yes you should tip them a little or boys will stop making conversation and come over all the time because they know you are not going to tip them. They will probably walk right past but my thought is that the chair/service boy should certainly deserve a tip. :laughing3:

I have to admit that I too simply never thought of tipping the seating guy/s, this wasn't a deliberate slant on my part and was certainly nothing to do with trying to save money but like Christian it simply never occurred to me as I simply assumed that there was a "price" for the seat and a price for the food and drink ( as shown in the menu etc) and when at the end of the day I walked up to the owner of the area and he said your bill is XX amount I simply paid that and yes if my bill was 350 baht or 850 baht he probably got 500 or 1000 respectively but not I have to admit as a "tip" more just out of my being to lazy to wait for the change !

And re the boys again whilst in a bar I wouldn't hesitate tipping go go boys etc as "that's how the system works" on the beach if a guy came up to me and engaged in conversation for a while and I was happy to go along with that I would inevitably offer him whatever I was eating / drinking - but to be fair I'd have did that with anyone just out of basic manners and not as he was an off duty bar boy - so it appears perhaps through a mixture of luck and my normal behaviour I've thankfully avoided too much of being considered an unintentional cheap charlie as I know I'm always made welcome when i go back to my usual seat, but that it appears WAS more by luck than good practice on my part it seems !

Although I have to admit that even though I'm now aware of the "norm" the seating guy, tip, yes maybe - the guys who chose to sit where to be blunt sometimes they are not actually wanted......hmmmm not so much as if they DO tend to sit with me for a few minutes it's usually by mutual choice and inevitably leads to us both heading on elsewhere together so I guess it all balances out in the end either way perhaps.

[gaymandenmark]

Well, I have never called anyone freelancer over to sit with me on the beach, but sometimes they are comming to me by themselves, maybe asking if he can sit on the chair next to me or maybe closer, sometimes I talk back because I am polite or sometimes because I think he is a damn cutie. Should I tip this guy? If he is there for 5, 10 or 30 minutes?. For Christ sake I am sitting on the beach and not in a host or go-go bar.
Should I tip because I am sitting on the Jomtien gay beach or should I also tip if the same happens on the beaches of Koh Samet.? Sometimes I found myself sitting in the middle of a group of what I would call freelancers.
Is there a difference if I call someone over or if they come to me.?
Is there a special rule to tip on Jomtiens Beach than on other beaches in Thailand?

Should I also tip when I am sitting outside the coffeshop in Malaysia Hotel, talking to someone?
Should I tip if I am sitting talking to a cute guy for 10 minutes or more anywhere?

Jesus, maybe now I understand that this tipping has gone to far and over the top, or am I totally wrong.?

[francois]

Where I sit at Jomtien there is a "tip jar" as I pay my bin; it is there for an obvious reason. Unless I ask someone to sit with me I do not encourage or tip anyone other than those who provide a service.

[Neal]

Well I agree and disagree in different places of these posts.
First of all it depends on your ability to tip and the service you were provided. Obviously posted rates are the rates and you are not required to tip as with any other place and no it soes not mean you are a cheap charlie if you don't tip, your finances may not allow you to tip.

Sitting on the beach if I call someone over and talk for about 10 minutes, I don't expect to tip unless I choose to. Certainly 20 minutes or over I expect to even if my finances would not allow it. Some of the boys on the beach only look for falang on the beach. They are walking to make money just as a boy in a bar. Some do not want to dress in a bikini or dance for 6 hours. They hope to get a falang in the afternoon within a short time and that's it. Some don't have ID and can't work in a bar for one reason or another. You need to figure out why a person you call over is doing the beach scene.

Now the beach chair boys.
They work from about 5 - 6 am to about 7 pm. Its hard hot work. I choose to tip. As Francios said, there is a tip can or jar at every pay area and the extra money you leave is shared by the service staff. I don't believe anything is ever given to the owner so there is no need to tip twice unless someone did something outstanding and you wish to. Again, same as a bar. If you put extra money inside a check bin folder, it is shared amongst the service staff. Outside the folder or in thier hand and it is for that person alone.

Many expats that are here year round choose to leave small tips and then choose Loy Krathong to leave a large tip. I have heard of people giving 1 time a year and leaving 1,000 baht. I have also heard of expats giving one time every month when they are there every day and leaving only 100 baht a month. Obviously you choose how much and the frequency but I consider it rather skimpy but as everything else there is no requirement to tip. I enjoy the service and I tip.

If I don't want to tip a boy approaching me or when I call them over, I let them go within 10 minutes. Remember just like in a bar with gifts. They have nothing to do with a fee. Remember I said that before? Well I get really pissed when some boys I knew came over and sat down and I invited them for beers and food. After 3 beers and a meal, I got up to leave and the boys said to me, are you forgetting something? I said like what and he said "my tip". After I explaimed that they approached me and both had 3 beers each and a good meal, and I am going home alone, you want tips? So yes, I have learned to be more alert as to what I am doing and what they may expect. Needless to say I never went with either of them again and don't even say hello when they pass. Sometimes it gets really out of hand. Like the cahier at various grocery stores which have a tip jar out. !For what? Ringing up and packing my groceries? I don't think so!! Now the sexy boys that I make passes at at Villa Market or Foodland who !р╕ЙARR!р╣Н+ my stuff out I do give them 20 baht and 100 baht if I am slipping them my phone number. :evil4:

i'm not trying to get off the location but am just trying to give an example of tipping i dont agree with
when ever i've been at coffee shop like Starbuks and their is a tip jar at the counter ...i think tip what for? for charging over the top prices for coffee with a bit of froth on the top and no service.....you do everything yourself...go get the suger ...the stirer...napkins and such..no service and they want a tip....ha ha no chance.....has anybody seen the Jacky Mason video about it ...its funny and shows how stupid we are

If you tip in Starbucks you know very well you aren't tipping for exorbitantly expensive frothy coffee - you are tipping the staff who get paid peanuts to serve and clean up after customers who very probably are rarely friendly or polite. It's up to the individual - either tip or don't - and in my case it would only be small change in Starbucks because the service is fairly mimimal and any contact with the staff is fleeting.

I have never NOT tipped the chair/food people @ the beach - I tip on the bill (like N Irish probably the change from 500B or 1000B note), and if one particular person has been attending to me I probably tip him too (maybe 100/200B).
As for tipping for "company" on the beach - I normally bring my own company so it has never really arisen.

I really don't see tipping as a big issue - since I tip taxi drivers, waiters, hairdressers in the UK, I expect to do likewise (and more widely) in Thailand.

[Marsilius]

I always personally hand 200 B to each of the chair attendants at Rit's concession on the final day of my stay. They always react as though that sort of thing is a rare occurrence.

It would be interesting perhaps to find out do our straight friends care and worry as much as we all appear to do ( or not ) about tipping both their service providers and /or random freelancers who may try to pick them us whilst we are on the beach / in bars etc, as i wonder do the str8's care about all that just much as we caring gay guys seem to - I actually doubt it somehow and wonder are we not running a risk of getting ourselves into a rut of thinking it's "the norm" or expected whereas in fact that may not actually be the case at all with other ( non gay) clientele??

And I'm relieved however that I'm not the only guy who wasn't tipping at the beach as whilst it wasn't an intentional thing on my part Thailand I think there's a fine line to be drawn here and whilst I've no problem whatsoever giving something should I feel like it to the guys who genuinely work at the seating areas, I do draw a line at tipping some freelancer who might have happened to sit down beside me for a chat and ultimately is just chancing his arm on the beach trying to sucker you into offing him and I think that there's a risk that we start to get looked at at as either being a bit of a soft touch or just plain suckers ( no pun intended) who tip everyone and anyone that happens to cross our paths "just" because we are gay and /or we think it's the norm.

As I've said above I don't recall too many of my straight friends who visit Thailand ever even thinking about it never mind actually following through and doing such things during their trips ( to the ladies obviously) - and they most certainly never go on to message boards when they get home to discuss perhaps should they have done so or not ! - which makes me wonder if I think perhaps we're not all just a little too precious sometimes about such things (myself included) and I think I'm going to make it my new years resolution not to give a shit so much on my next trip perhaps and if some Thai guys on the beach or otherwise don't like it - well then thats that's just tough I guess!

[markie1]

Well having been coming to Thailand for 10 years and going to Jomtien very often ,I always tip the boys ,useually i do this daily in the Tip Jar on the Cashiers desk, and on my last couple of Visits i have handed over money directly to the boys that have taken care of me on the Beech, on my last day of vacation,oF caurse these boys work hard and long hours ,and they get paid peanuts , compared to what you pay a bar boy for Sex , so a little tip should be given i think ,providing the service is good ,and you are taken care of.
Looking forward to returning on Monday for a 3 week stay , hope the rains have stopped ,and the sun is shining.

[stevehadders]

I have always tipped , just as I do waiters etc...these guys on the beach run back and forth with my food drinks, alter my umbrella as I lounge below, always have a smile and a joke and generally add to my overall "beach experience" in a positive way. They get to know you, and the service/interaction gets even better....I think both parties are in a win win situation

[Neal]

N Irish, as I mentioned in the earlier post, tipping is up to you but when I go into a restaurant I will be dammed if I stop and ask stright customers sitting next t me how much they are leaving for a tip and base mine on what they leave or don't choose to leave. That's up to me. Same same beach. The beach servers are the same as a waiter in the restaurant granted the ambiance is different. The run and do everything.

I think there may be some confusion here perhaps as whilst I hadn't intentionally tip the seating / servers guys before ( although did so inadvertently always) I had said I have no problem with that, my comment re not tipping and if they don't like it tough was aimed squarely at the freelancers who patrol the beach looking for customers and perhaps join you for 15 or 20 minutes and then epxect a tip for their company - those are the guys who a) never got a tip from me in the past and won't in the future and hence my comment re if they don't like it tough.

[markie1]

... freelancers who.. perhaps join you for 15 or 20 minutes and then expect a tip for their company...never got a tip from me in the past and won't in the future...

Well I have to aggree on that one ,a uninvited boy sitting next to you ,that you are not interested in does not warrant a tip

[TravellerDave]

As far as tipping at Dongtan beach is concerned we have identified two categories of tips. Firstly the service guys who manage the chairs and umbrellas and serve you with food and drink. I have given tips when I believed the service was good. I generally sit near the sea sometimes in the sun and sometimes under the umbrella, getting brown but not wanting to burn. Some boys adjust the umbrella to suit and give me good service with food and drink. I generally give them a small tip which helps when I return the next day wanting a prime position.
Then there are the boys, much in evidence in the late afternoon who are looking for an off or at least a tip from a customer of the concession. Sometimes these guys are a nuisance, but occasionally if I,m bored or the boy is attractive I welcome their company, and I have very occasionally kept them with me for the evening. I can be generous to these boys with a larger tip.

[Surfcrest]

When I pay my bill at the end of the day, I always round it up to the nearest 500 baht.
I'll buy the guy that has been looking after me a drink or something to eat at the end of the day....up to him.
When I go home at the end of the season, I'll put money in the jar and tip individually.
This is based on being down at the beach every day and the fantastic service I've enjoyed over the years.

Surfcrest

[adman5000]

I always tip the chair guys at the beach by rounding up the bill.

I also tip the massage guy who always stops to give me a massage when he sees me as he is the only one I normally get a massage from there. (true massage) I will also buy him a beer.

If one of the boys I know stops by to see me, I will generally offer to buy him something to eat. Or if I know him well, he will accompany me back to my room and I will tip them. I generally do not bring back freelancers I don't know from previous trips, unless I simply can't resist.

I also always try to buy something from the donut guy as he has a hard job lugging that big container all around the beach, and I feel obligated to make his load lighter. In fact sometimes I will buy two donuts so he can finish sooner. I always tell him this to get a laugh. But if he sees me, he will always check with me. And these guys have amazing memories.

There used to be a handsome ice cream guy and I would buy two cones, one for me and one for him to chat a bit.

I understand this is how they earn their living, so I try to buy something and give a small tip. I did not do it this way on my first trip as 30 baht seemed like $30 to my brain. But I adjusted.

[joe552]

I don't know - I save myself all this soul searching about tips by not going to the beach at all - problem solved :occasion9:

[Neal]

As far as tipping at Dongtan beach is concerned we have identified two categories of tips. Firstly the service guys who manage the chairs and umbrellas and serve you with food and drink. I have given tips when I believed the service was good. I generally sit near the sea sometimes in the sun and sometimes under the umbrella, getting brown but not wanting to burn. Some boys adjust the umbrella to suit and give me good service with food and drink. I generally give them a small tip which helps when I return the next day wanting a prime position.
Then there are the boys, much in evidence in the late afternoon who are looking for an off or at least a tip from a customer of the concession. Sometimes these guys are a nuisance, but occasionally if I,m bored or the boy is attractive I welcome their company, and I have very occasionally kept them with me for the evening. I can be generous to these boys with a larger tip.

Absolutely correct. The ones that stop by in hopes of an off ARE a pain in the ass. I was referring to someone you might call over and spend some time talking to.
OK NIrish, you do good and so do most others. :tongue3:

[colmx]

I don't know - I save myself all this soul searching about tips by not going to the beach at all - problem solved :occasion9:
Same here!
Don't think i have sat on a beach chair in 5 years!
I like to sleep all day and party all night! :party

I am shocked at all these people that spend multiples of 500B on the beach!
Chair=20B
ice= 10B
Water = 10-20B
Fanta=30B

How could you possibly spend 1000B at those rates?
Or have things skyrocked in price from my beach going days?

Well whilst my comment about 500 or 1000 baht at the beach was just a general one I seem to remember that it wasn't actually that far of the mark, I can't recall the exact amounts but after say your seat, some water, perhaps one or two snacks ( depending how long you're there) perhaps a few beers and a cocktail or two all seemed to mount up to somewhere about there usually, not including all the nick naks such as yet more sunglasses, DVDS, massages and pedicures and god knows what else takes my fancy whilst I'm lying there chilling out - and of course add a boy to join you to that list and you can easily double that cost in no time so I never find it hard to blow money needlessly it seems even when I'm lying doing absolutely nothing ! - mores the pity ! :-(

[Neal]

Most of us I think buy fish, sanwiches, or cooked meals on the beach so the bill is not 100 baht. I do realize that some of us bring thier lunch and snacks with us but for ME
that is the same as bringing your dinner or lunch into a restaurant. The chair owner makes thier money by servicing you and running and fetching and stocking things for you. How in the heck can someone bring thier own stuff?? I guess those people are lucky the Thais will mutter and moan about it behind your back rather than saying something to your face.

[dab69]

So glad you brought up this topic.
I usually put something in the tip jar 50-100 (as I usually don't buy much)
when I leave and I also like
to directly brighten someones day when they pick up around my table
of 30-40 bT , a more direct route.

Rarely I eat there, usually picking up little things to snack on
from vendors, and the waiters have to deal with the trash.
they work so hard al day, adjusting your umbrella and
provding much needed scenery.

Hard working and honest to a fault,
watching your belongings when you stray occasionally to the water,
massage.or rest room. The unsung heroes of the beach.

[gearguy]

I leave a tip for the chair boys every day. (I always stay at yellow chairs.) and my last day, I give some extra tips directly to my favorite boys. They always seem to remember me when I return again. I also bring them gifts. Last time I bought t-shirts from a company (Ajaxx63 here in US) and gave to the boys. The shirts are unlikely to see seen much in thailand so it's something unique for them to wear no one else will have.

[gaymandenmark]

Wow, we all learn something new every day.
I was not aware, that some of you used so many hours and also every day at Jomtien.
If I go to Jomtien it will only be for a couple of hours, so I don't know this guys very well, maybe that is why I have never experienced this special and fantastic services you are writing about.

[christianpfc]

(Thank you, Neal, for starting a new topic, I didn't expect so many responses.)

It never occured to me that tipping at the beach is expected/required/accepted/... As I wrote before, my general attitude is anti-tipping (whereas most US-Americans are pro-tipping), and the feedback in this thread will not change it.

I am well aware of the boys who set up the chairs and umbrellas (there are some I would like to get to know closer), but in my opinion their work is included in the fee for the chair (30 Baht when I come around 2 pm and leave about 4 pm, during this time I usually have one coconut water for 30 Baht, so the total bill is 60 Baht). If I were spending the whole day eating and drinking at the beach, then I would think about giving a tip.

Oh, please DON'T give a tip Christian - we wouldn't want to see you ruined my dear.

Your afternoon's total expenditure of 60B on a deck chair and a coconut water must have you breaking out in a cold sweat as it is.
I fear if you splurged out by tipping the beach staff and ended up spending 61B, the irresponsibility of it all could prove fatal.

:wave:

[Neal]

I am well aware of the boys who set up the chairs and umbrellas (there are some I would like to get to know closer), but in my opinion their work is included in the feea tip.

Don't worry Christian as I am sure your policy that the tip is included with your 30 baht for the chair and 30 baht for coconut water so no tip , you probably stand a zero chance of a snow balls chance in hell of taking home one of the beach chair people, as they see such a big spender. :evil4: I mean if you won't give them a tip for giving you good service on the beach, just how much do you think they will make going home with you? 10 baht so they can buy some fruit? :sign5:

[Dax]

Lunch, food stuff come to mind.

[colmx]

Like i said in my original post i haven't been to the beach in years and on the rare occasion when i went to the beach it was never for more than 1-2 hours....

It baffles me why people would want to spend hours on the beach... guess its cos i'm from a seaside resort myself**
(**even though we get barely 7 days sun a year!)

[Dax]

Baffles you? Pretty much like going to a bar but it's on the beach. You meet all kinds of people.

[francois]

As I wrote before, my general attitude is anti-tipping (whereas most US-Americans are pro-tipping), and the feedback in this thread will not change it. .

What about tipping those snotty French waiters in Paris? And never try to stiff a waiter in a New York City restaurant, they will follow you out the door.

[colmx]

Pretty much like going to a bar but it's on the beach. You meet all kinds of people.
Yes but all the posters here spend their time giving out about the

-Russians
-Inconsiderate smokers
-Women in gay places
-Dubious boys with no ID....
-Loud boastful 2 week millionaire farang
-Water quality

Yet thats pretty much 60% of what you see on the beach

And i won't even begin to talk about the 60+ aged central europeans in their g-strings/speedos and the topless FWCs

If i am going to spend 1000B it will be in a bar devoid of all of above!
(and with my BF a bar bill is rarely under 1000B and we visit lots of bars per night... before hitting the clubs!)

[Dax]

You're pretty much spot on, Colmx. I rarely talk to other tourist. I spend my time and money on the locals-from the vendors to the men. When I travel I take advantage of these opportunities. I enjoy doing this.

[TravellerDave]

Colmx
Disagree there mate !. Conversation is often impossible in the average Pattaya bar - Too much noise. Not so on the beach.
I travel alone and have a need for social interaction in addition to that I get from my "boyfriend du jour"
I would add the following topics of conversation I have had with other farangs on the beach:-
Scams perpetrated by Thais on farangs.
Health problems and merits of different hospitals and doctors
Visas and visa runs
Merits of the various bars and gogos
Different hotels and apartments
Airlines and prices paid for tickets

[Krazy4thai]

At Jomtien, if I get particularly good attention from one of the boys working the concessions, I slip him a tip privately when it's quiet, preferably when the owner is not paying much attention. from my understanding most of the tip jar ends up in the owner's pocket.

A discreet handshake with a folded note in your hand is a good way to try and ensure the boy gets the money. Usually the boy understands you're slipping him a tip for himself on the sly and is quiet about having received it.

Of course I dont know what happens after I leave, maybe the owners make the boys turn out their pockets, I dont really care cos I've done my best to try and tip the boy/boys as fair as I can

[gaymandenmark]

Christian have your ever studied Freud?, it is an eyeopener. :evil4:

from my understanding most of the tip jar ends up in the owner's pocket.
, maybe the owners make the boys turn out their pockets,

An absolutely bullshit accusation! The tip money goes to the boys and no the owner does not even take a share themselves. Stay away from false accusations. :pain10:
With the dozens and dozens of sections on the beach and the boys work hard for thier tips, do you really expect that anyone would work for someone who stole thier tips??!! Really a stupid accusation that probably some cheap idiot put in your head!

[christianpfc]

What about tipping those snotty French waiters in Paris? And never try to stiff a waiter in a New York City restaurant, they will follow you out the door.

(Not sure if this is serious, but in case of doubt I will give a true answer.)

I once bought a sandwich at the airshow in Le Bourget 2011, which cost 5.75 Euro (about 230 Baht) (no seating, I ate it standing/walking). After that, I always made my own sandwiches when I went to Paris and took water with me. All eating in restaurants was on invitation by someone else. I never went to New York, so I can't judge about prices there.

[francois]

Hmmm; I was thinking of a rendezvous at Le Gai Moulin in Le Marais District of Paris but maybe Salt & Pepper in Day-Night Plaza? My treat; your tip.

[frequentflier]

I usually tip,I think its the right and proper thing to do..I have not come across a situation where a tip was not due..these guys work hard enough.

[anonone]

I don't hit the beach too much anymore. It does tend to get a bit boring for me. When I first started visiting Pattaya, I think I ended up at the beach more just out of nothing else to do. This was before I met BF. There seemed to be more Thai guys around during the day then....but maybe I am just leaving earlier than before.

Now, once or twice a trip we will go, and BF will usually invite a friend or two to go with us. It is a whole different perspective watching and listening to them. His friends may be on the lookout for meeting a new falang friend. Their evaluations and comments are interesting, to say the least. I love these "behind the scene" glimpses into working Thai life.

I do like some of the vendors that frequent the area. I have a regular massage guy that really knows what he is doing. He can work out kinks and soreness like a magician. I also stay on the lookout for the mute Thai man that sells hand made greeting cards. A very nice guy and the cards always receive great comments from the recipients. I always load up to take back home.

As for tipping, it depends a bit on how long we are there and how much service we get, just like anywhere else. I have been going to the same chairs for a couple years now, the staff recognize me right away and remember what I like. For me, that means a bigger tip than stopping in a random restaurant somewhere. Maybe a couple hundred baht for them to split, if we stayed most of the day, ate food, etc.

[CHAOTOU]

I often stay at the beach and see how hard these guys work. They often arrive before sunrise. They rake and groom the sand before putting out all those chairs, tables, staking umbrellas. Many of the vendors now have those large lounge chairs, creating twice as much work to set-up. The boys salary hasn't increased with the extra work either. Once set up they wait on customers non-stop for 10 hours or so and then take it all back down. 7 days a week. Their small salary pays for the basics, but they live on the tips they receive. They certainly earn them, so please tip them. The contents of the tip can is split evenly at the end of the day between the boys working the chairs. The owner does not get a cut.

How many people know that when you get a massage, your massage boy has to tip out the chair vendor 30 baht? The 30 baht goes straight into the tip can and is shared by the boys working the chairs. Your massage boy pockets 30 baht less than you paid him for his services. Every massage, every time.

...I went to Paris and took water with me. All eating in restaurants was on invitation by someone else....

Quelle surprise!!

[attachment=0:1oj4yz7n]Christian.jpg[/attachment:1oj4yz7n]

[Neal]

Hmmm; I was thinking of a rendezvous at Le Gai Moulin in Le Marais District of Paris but maybe Salt & Pepper in Day-Night Plaza? My treat; your tip.

Often I invite someone to dinner but I always expect if I pick up the tab that they will leave the tip and an appropriate one, 15 - 20%. If they are not expecting to leave a tip then the invite is off..... hint hint. :hello2:

[christianpfc]

Cultural differences!

In Germany, the person who invites pays the bill and the tip, the invitee doesn't even see the bill. It would be considered impolite if the invitee asked how much it cost or wants to pay part of the bill (or the tip).

But now that I know things are different in the USA (and with US-Americans in Thailand), I can adapt.

-----------

It's not so much that I'm a tightwad (ok, that as well), I'm only used to tip people I have interaction with (e.g. hairdresser, taxi driver, waiter in restaurant - technically the chef should get the tip!). I have no interaction with the beach chair boys (I wish I had with some of them), the same applies to room service in hotels (there are reliable reports by people who claim to leave a tip for room service). As I wrote before, the next step will be staff at 7-11 doesn't get any salary, the live on tips by customers.

[francois]

What! You don't tip at the 7-11? I often flirt with some of the cute boys at my local Family Mart and at the end of my stay in Thailand I may leave them some money, maybe equivalent to a day's wages. Nothing ever happens but one time I said "see you later" and he responded "when"!

[peeseua]

Oh dear! I am new here and it seems so embarassing to have to start by confessing that I've tipped almost everyone who gave me any kind of service in Thailand (including taxi drivers and room maids) but never thought of tipping any of those cute chair boys at Jomtien! I am sooooo ashamed! :notworthy:

[Neal]

Oh dear! I am new here and it seems so embarassing to have to start by confessing that I've tipped almost everyone who gave me any kind of service in Thailand (including taxi drivers and room maids) but never thought of tipping any of those cute chair boys at Jomtien! I am sooooo ashamed! :notworthy:
This thread can be a learning experience or eye openor to some. Its ok not to understand but I dont think it is fair to understand and continue. If you stay in the same spot all the time, maybe you might give them something extra.

[peeseua]

Oh dear! I am new here and it seems so embarassing to have to start by confessing that I've tipped almost everyone who gave me any kind of service in Thailand (including taxi drivers and room maids) but never thought of tipping any of those cute chair boys at Jomtien! I am sooooo ashamed! :notworthy:
This thread can be a learning experience or eye openor to some. Its ok not to understand but I dont think it is fair to understand and continue. If you stay in the same spot all the time, maybe you might give them something extra.

I agree with you a hundred per cent. I do stay in the same spot every time I go to Jomtien and I certainly intend to tip the nice boys there properly the next time I go. :glasses7: