General Tipping... At bars, Hotel staff and eateries

[bucknaway]

What do you guys tip when you order a drink at DJ station? When I was last there I was tipping 100฿ and I think that was too much. When I go to the bars here in the USA, the most I tip for a drink is one American dollar. So my 100฿ tip was an American tip of $2.50. I won't be tipping that high on my return... believe-you-me.....

Now when I have enjoyed a restaurant meal with some of my Thai friends, they tend to balk at me leaving tips higher than 20฿, and even some off the street guys will stop me in the middle of my putting money on the table, put up some of my money and give it back to me and say "Dee, is good.. is good."

And in the Taxi... Most guys stop me from tipping more than 15฿ or 20฿ for a short transport.

I have reduced the amount of money I tip the hotel staff. I now tip 50฿ for luggage assistance and I tip 20฿ for the maid to change my towels and make my bed.

Now when I go to pattaya by hired car I tip 200฿

In Pattaya, I tip 50฿ for beach chair & service.

Go-go boy??? I would not tip more than 1750฿

Sounds OK, but you never need to tip Bangkok taxis, just round up the fare, 37 baht, give 40, etc. 1750? Egads.

[Smiles]

"What do you guys tip when you order a drink at DJ station? When I was last there I was tipping 100B and I think that was too much"
Far too much. Tip 10-15 baht per drink. If the waiter/bartender gave good service and friendly, hunt him down before you leave (it'll be difficult!!) and slip an extra 50B into his shirt pocket.



"When I go to the bars here in the USA, the most I tip for a drink is one American dollar
... and stop doing that!



" ... a restaurant meal with some of my Thai friends ... "
12% of the meal. Got a calculator?
Once again, for great service (i.e. non-cloying, sincere smile, helpful, gorgeous) fold up a 20B note or 2 and slip it silently into the waiter's hand with a big smile.



"And in the Taxi..."
I know it's supposed to be unnecessary, but taxi drivers make diddly-squat so I always tip them 15-30B for short haul (after all, taxis are already great bargains in Bangkok). If I give money to my guy to pay he always goes with Thaiquila's advice and rounds off the amount upwards. It could be 2B (in which case I call him sticky) or it could be 8 or 9B . . . but hardly ever more than that.



"I have reduced the amount of money I tip the hotel staff. I now tip 50B for luggage assistance and I tip 20Bfor the maid to change my towels and make my bed"
50B per day (at least ... sometimes more) for the room maid, given as lump sum at the end of the stay. If it's always the same lady I make sure to track her down the day before checkout and give it to her in person. She can do what she wants with it after that ... including sharing it with the other floor staff.



"50B for beach chair & service"
If I've lazed around most of the day, the service is friendly, the food is good, and I want to come back the next day I'll give 'em 200B and have done with it for 3 or 4 days. You'll be greeted with great friendliness when you return and be led to your favourite chairs. After you've left for good for that particular holiday, another 100B or so and a hearty "see you next year".



"Go-go boy??? I would not tip more than 1750B"
Up to you ... :blackeye:


Having said all that, this stuff is so subjective. There are no perfectly "right" answers . . . but there certainly are "cheap" farang. Maybe I'm one :albino:

Cheers ...

[puckered_penguin]

"And in the Taxi..."
I know it's supposed to be unnecessary, but taxi drivers make diddly-squat so I always tip them 15-30B for short haul (after all, taxis are already great bargains in Bangkok).

Taxi drivers, if as most do, are hiring the taxi, make about 30,000 baht per month profit in Bkk.

If they own it, they make much more depending on their hours worked. Taxis are normally shared by 2 drivers.

Fuel is less than 9 baht per litre as subsidised LPG is fuel of choice.

Tip as as u wish but don't do it on a false perception. (Can a perception be false?)

Waiters in Bar/Resaurant - I leave little bit Bt10 - Bt20 (sometimes nothing) general tip and then tip the waiter between Bt20 to Bt60 in hand, depending on number of beers, times ashtray cleaned, chattiness (general level of service and friendliness) etc. I have no qualms about leaving no tip if service is bad or I am made to feel uncomfortable.

Chamber Maid - One or two big tips throughout my stay equivalent to around Bt30 - Bt40 per day. Made mistake of handing this tip to someone to pass on once and chamber maid never received it, so do it in hand.

Luggage Carried to room - Bt100

Doormen at Hotel - Bt500 at end of stay, doormen at bar mostly nothing but occassionally I will tip a friendly doorman Bt20.

Laundry - Bt20 each service load.

Bus Baht - Between Jomtien and Pattaya general price is Bt10, I pay Bt20 each trip and I find the drivers who recognise me are more ready to stop and pick me up.

Taxi Pattaya Bangkok - Bt200

Boy in Bar who sits and chats at my invitation - I buy a drink or two for him/them and also tip Bt100 to Bt500 or so, depending on time spent. If I stay one bar all night chatting with a boy I think Bt500 (7.50 sterling) is a very cheap price for company. Please do not have a go at me for quoting sterling conversion as some are prone to do, by making a conversion you can see how little you spend.

Boy taken Off Bar/Gogo boy - Bt1500 to Bt2000.

I think as Smiles says, there are no right answers, but if you tip what you feel comfortable tipping or what Thai friends tell you to tip then you can ignore any Farang who says you tip too much or tip too little.

Whatever, when you overpay like you do in some obvious categories, you are just seen by Thais as foolish.
Nothing personal, but I sometimes feel that overpaying is about GUILT.

[dab69]

thought I was hte only fool that was happy enough to be there that I tipped the bartender at DJ 100bT/drink.
I am sure the locals don't do that. Just that when I am finally there after all year I am actually happy to tears ( just a couple, always) and overtip.

What would you tip a waiter that you have admired for years?
Was intending to slip him 500bT the next time, but he had left for another hotel/restaurant, and they wouldn't tell me where... I would have been embarassed anyway.

Whatever, when you overpay like you do in some obvious categories, you are just seen by Thais as foolish.
Nothing personal, but I sometimes feel that overpaying is about GUILT.

Maybe you are right Thaiquila, perhaps there is a little guilt involved in 'overpay' or over-tipping. Perhaps any donations to charities are about guilt too, having funds and a lifestyle that others less fortunate can only aspire to. I don't look too closely at my motives other than at the degree I have enjoyed someone's company or service.

Thai's may think me foolish in some respects and I may be blind to this, like many can be blind to the illusion that we are paying for sex and hoping for love (it is only in rare situations where you get both). If a Thai friend points out I pay too much then I adjust accordingly, if nothing is said I pay what is comfortable for me, as long as Thai friends do not make me feel foolish, I remain blissfully ignorant.

I am sure there are those who pay less and those who pay more, there are those who buy expensive gifts and those who do not. To use that phrase 'It's up to you' is never more applicable.

Of course, the exception would be at Niddy's Nook, where the food and service are so etherial that a 100 percent tip would be a mean slap in the face. Fried ratball curry budget, Niddy's Cheeseburgers in Paradise dreams.

Of course, the exception would be at Niddy's Nook .... Niddy's Cheeseburgers in Paradise dreams. - Meet me at the Nook

Let me know when you are next at the Nook and i'll pop along for one of those cheeseburgers. I am sure Chris would love to prepare a 'special' cheeseburger just for you Thaiquila ;)

Of course, the exception would be at Niddy's Nook .... Niddy's Cheeseburgers in Paradise dreams. - Meet me at the Nook

Let me know when you are next at the Nook and i'll pop along for one of those cheeseburgers. I am sure Chris would love to prepare a 'special' cheeseburger just for you Thaiquila ;)
Well said, but, really ALL of Niddy's cheesy burgers are special!
I can't get enough of them, and I am still here to tell the tale, so I really don't think there is poison in them.
I would be glad to make a special appearance for the launching of the Thaiquila cocktail!

Well said, but, really ALL of Niddy's cheesy burgers are special!
I can't get enough of them, and I am still here to tell the tale, so I really don't think there is poison in them.
I would be glad to make a special appearance for the launching of the Thaiquila cocktail!

A great idea Thaiquila, but could you cope if it ended up that the drinks were, quite literally, on you? As for a 'special appearance' by you, would that be like the 'special' shows which can be seen in Bangkok? I am not sure that would boost the turnout! :cheers:

In the matter of tipping, I tend to:

round up for taxi drivers

leave 20 bt for most meals (I've seen my Thai friends do the same) under 300 bt and then 20 bt for each additional 300 bt

leave 20bt to 100bt for drinks from a waiter at a bar (unless I've been there for a long time and then I adjust up--sometimes to 400 bt if I have been there all night, and I've been occupying a seat in their section)

20bt per round for a bartender

100 bt per maid per week for room cleaning (there are two maids at my hotel now)

20 bt per bag for bellman who carries bags

drinks and 100 bt per drink for go-go boy who sits with me in a bar (that I don't take off)

nothing for laundry (although the lady who does my laundry works for my friend and is very nice, so I usually buy her a nice bag of fruit or dinner once per week)

100 bt for a cabaret performer (this is a minumum tip by the way)

I will treat the entire staff of 10-12 at my friend's bar (where I spend at least half my time) to a night at the disco about three times per month. From about 230am to 6am, I end up opening 2-3 bottles of 100 pipers, and we all have a great time (this is probably my favorite way to spend a late night in Thailand and a bargain IMO at about 3,000 bt for everything)

100 bt per month/per stay for beach chair (I only go a couple of times per week)

500 bt for anyone I off that I'm not having sex with. 1000bt to 1300bt for short time and 1500bt to 2000bt for long time (both low and high season)

A couple of bar managers and a couple of other friends, I will off a boy for them on a regular occassion.

Most of us im sure tipped way too much on first few visits.......its something that comes the more you go there.....when you stay in small Thai villages and see how much they can buy with 100 baht etc you gradually adjust downwards. This is probably why a lot of thais ask have you been before?

[Dick]

Some of you guys need a Thai boyfriend.
When you're sternly bollocked so many times with 'How much you give (meaning gave)', you learn to be a little more cautious.
So many times I've heard the words "20 Baht enough"!

Some of you guys need a Thai boyfriend.
When you're sternly bollocked so many times with 'How much you give (meaning gave)', you learn to be a little more cautious.
So many times I've heard the words "20 Baht enough"!
Absolutely! Spot on.

[DJB0Y-old]

Hey Buck--

Don't worry...those 100 baht tips at DJ Station are well appreciated.

I have seen several Thai guys tipping 100 baht too. Frankly, I was a little amazed but it's true.

Personally, I tip 20 baht each drink that the boy goes and gets for me from the bar.

As I am a frequent customer at DJ and know many of the bar and wait staff, I will give a single tip of 100 baht on the big holidays to each of the guys that regularly take care of me....but only on special occasions.

As an aside, depending on how much you drink, you might want to consider purchasing a bottle at DJ Station. You buy the bottle, they mix your drinks at the bar and you pay 50 baht per bottle of mixer. It comes out to about the same price as ordering the drinks individually at 100 baht, but you can drink the top shelf liquor compared to the rot gut they serve regularly.

Of course, if you are on a short holiday, it might not work for you. But for a weeks stay, I usually have no problem going through one bottle of vodka. If it isn't gone by the end, I just give away a few drinks to some friends.

:bounce: DJB

Dick wrote :


Some of you guys need a Thai boyfriend.

I wonder if some off the Thai boy's need us ? My last Thai friend stay 3 month in Belgium, asking me to make he has a future ! I can, and i did promise him a future. He was a real friend when he was in Belgium he was not working or acting. I met him back 6 month later in Thailand, he was not that friend anymore but a liar and try to use me, telling his friends i am a good hart farang white a lot off money.

In my opinion if they back in there wold they follow the stream most Thia's do, using farang. He lost his future ( i think ),
but he don't care, his Thai life go's one as it always was day by day .

Mai bpen rai, everything is an illusion.

Mai bpen rai, everything is an illusion.

[Dick]

There are farang on this board who have held down a relationship with a Thai partner for a number of years. I include myself in that category. I did say previously that one can't generalise.

Baziel stated that his Thai 'friend' ~ he didn't make clear if merely a friend, bar boy, boy special, or pukka boyfriend ~ lived with him in Belgium for 3 months, and then 6 months later having returned to Thailand, he didn't treat Baziel with the affection he anticipated, but inferred to other Thais that they take advantage of his good heart.

I am very sorry for Baziel, and that experience no doubt accounts for his belief that all Thai's in Thailand are out to take advantage of farang. I hope it hasn't soured him too much. Maybe he was unfortunate in his choice of friend; maybe his friend was unfortunate in his choice of farang. I don't know, but I suspect the two of them might not have been so compatible in the longer term, which is why it didn't work out. On the opposite side, there are farang and Thai who have enjoyed better and over longer periods.

Rather than generalise, I believe any relationship has be measured on its own merits.