Quote Originally Posted by sglad View Post
Where in Asia is tipping expected and where/in what situation does it help to tip in advance?
I'm pretty certain this related to tips when offing bar boys. Payment for sex is illegal in Thailand, so the payment is disguised as a tip. As such, it used to be handed over discreetly at the end of the tryst with the amount being "up to you" - to quote an often used Thai phrase. Presumably because some punters tried to get away with paying peanuts, now there are expected minimum tips. So some posters here and other patrons of the barboys or MBs from the apps will agree the tip in advance. It avoids the hassle that sometimes occurs when it will be suggested that the tip is not sufficient.

As the American influence has seeped into Thailand, tipping for service in hotels and restaurants etc. is now quite common especially in high-end establishments. I had a client once who travelled extensively and said he always tipped room boys in hotels at the start rather than the end of a stay. That way he always had excellent service and never experienced any problems at all.

On the subject of tipping elsewhere, there have been various threads here and on other sites. Some posters feel that tips are not really expected, especially in establishments where a service charge is automatically added. When the service is especially good, it's not unusual to give the waiter some extra cash in his/her hand - not with the bill payment as that may go into a general tip fund for all staff. It's also been noted that that service charge does not always find its way back to the staff. I know of one high-end restaurant in the centre of Bangkok at which the owner keeps 85% of the service charge and the miser only allocates 15% to his staff.