Tipping

[kiro]

To avoid any issues can you give any advice on what custom is for tipping in Phuket. Obviously depends on service lvl but what is a general guideline for Taxi, Restaurant et all?

Cheers

[cotambear]

Up to you, but I don`t - The only exception for me would be a particulary good trad massage.
It`s not part of Thai culture - though obviously the more touristy the area is, the more the Thais are attuned to it.
Not leaving a tip won`t be made in to an issue - as it would be in the States - unless the establishment is heavily on the screw.

[Nicke]

As I know ppl here is dependent on tip I always give in restaurants and bars, about 10% or 20 baht for smaller amounts.

Salaries in Thailand is low, the tip is how the staff survive.

[RobRoy]

Originally Posted by Nicke

As I know ppl here is dependent on tip I always give in restaurants and bars, about 10% or 20 baht for smaller amounts.

Salaries in Thailand is low, the tip is how the staff survive.

That's how I learned what "chai dee" means. I didn't think tipping was so relevant until I learned how little serving staff earn there.

[steve@thaib]

I nearly always tip (though rarely at home). As Nicke said, 20baht seems to be fine and it really is not a lot of money.

The way I look at it is this. 20baht is a tip, 50baht is a good tip and 100baht is a very good tip.

[IRISH JONNY]

i always tip 50 baht.regardless of how good or bad the service is or on what amount i spend .........50 baht is only 1 euro........and the waitresses will always remeber you..............ij

[georgelondon]

same here. will always leave a tip. if the waitress is good she will remember you, and if shes really good will remember your brand of beer as well!

[cybernator_uk]

It depends.. I remember a waitress who after 2 days knew where me and my mate used to like to sit what we drank and what we ate. She was a very nice sweet girl as well. At the end of the trip i gave her 100 baht and my mate gave her a little something also (don't know the amount) she was genuinly happy with that which was nice.... If i am not happy then maybe 20 baht. Tip what you want really when you want. It's your money and your holiday so do what makes you happy

[georgelondon]

i used to manage a bar in central london.food and accomadation was inclusive for live in staff. i had a couple of aussie girls who worked for me. they would earn enough money in tips for me to keep hold of their wages for 6 months. they then collected and went travelling for a year!
thats the way to do it!

[prestagea]

WE often round the bill up. If it's a place we eat at often because we like the food and the service, it's not unusual for us to tip up to 300 -500bht. Although it's not a cutom to tip in Australia, the wages of the staff are appropriate not like LOS.

[kiro]

Cheers for that - how bout taxis or tuktuks?

[Robaht]

I would never tip a tuk tuk. Never.

Taxi Meter in Phuket - it costs about 420 airport/hotel, I usually give 450. If they don't have change or they have to stop at 7/11 or get gas or anything like that they get no tip.

Limo/Car to airport: generally I give no tip since at 550-600 baht I think everything is included.

Taxi Meter Bangkok - usually round up to the next 10 baht for trips in the city, (ie. 43 baht give 50) but to/from airport I give about 10%.

Cheers, Robaht

[faultytowers]

For me , it is all about service , good friendly service means good tip , bad service gets nothing. This applies for hotels , restuarants , bars (including BG's) and taxis , normally with tuk-tuks it depends on if I think they are trying to "rip me off" or not.

[RobRoy]

The staff in the hotels get some attention from me, especially the cleaning ladies who do my wash and pounce on my scarcely worn European cut clothes and pocket full of coins and small bills when I offer them at the end of my stay. And I regularly toss the security man a can of beer or a pack of smokes for paying special attention to my takeaways late at night. Small gestures but people don't forget such consideration. It works wonders anywhere, not just in LOS. I spend half of my working life in hotels so I depend on their service.

[IRISH JONNY]

Originally Posted by Robaht

I would never tip a tuk tuk. Never.

Taxi Meter in Phuket - it costs about 420 airport/hotel, I usually give 450. If they don't have change or they have to stop at 7/11 or get gas or anything like that they get no tip.

Limo/Car to airport: generally I give no tip since at 550-600 baht I think everything is included.

Taxi Meter Bangkok - usually round up to the next 10 baht for trips in the city, (ie. 43 baht give 50) but to/from airport I give about 10%.

Cheers, Robaht

99% of us around here are in the same boat as you.........

[Tommychrk]

Originally Posted by IRISH JONNY

i always tip 50 baht.regardless of how good or bad the service is or on what amount i spend .........50 baht is only 1 euro........and the waitresses will always remeber you..............ij

Agree on that one. Never less than 50, but usually more if I have coins. As a golden rule I never tip less than 20%, but usually more in LOS due to cheap prices and that the people are poor.

[les1999]

Originally Posted by IRISH JONNY

i always tip 50 baht.regardless of how good or bad the service is or on what amount i spend .........50 baht is only 1 euro........and the waitresses will always remeber you..............ij

same, same with me IJ - 50baht regardless, a small amout for us but as Nicke pointed out it could be the difference between a good and a bad month for the waitresses.

[fun2have]

by myself i usually tip around 20-50 baht, taxis in bkk rounded up, but when i am with the wife, she carries the money and she tips very rarely.

the real exception to this is the issan taxi drivers in bkk, if they are from the issan they get a considerably higher tip than the bkk born drivers.

[steve w]

20-100 baht when paying bar bill.tuk-tuk NO NO they have already ripped you off so NO tip.
in a restaurant about 10% should extract a smile and a wai.

[sundancekid]

Originally Posted by faultytowers

For me , it is all about service , good friendly service means good tip , bad service gets nothing. This applies for hotels , restuarants , bars (including BG's) and taxis , normally with tuk-tuks it depends on if I think they are trying to "rip me off" or not.

Depends largely on service for me also. Although for meals I would normally throw in 20 baht regardless. (Unless I just have a noodle soup…)

I also think “extraordinary” service should be amply rewarded. When my folks stayed in Kamala for two weeks they usually ate lunch (and rented beach chairs) at the same place. The girls working there really went out of their way to accommodate them.

And at the end of the trip, there were hugs and kisses and tears and “see you next year”, etc. My dad was so moved that he gave each one them a 1000 baht tip.

... and not in my wildest dreams would I ever even think about tipping a tuk tuk.

[webner]

allways between 20 - 50 bath no tuk tuk tip

[TanMan]

Bars/restaurants staff: about 10%, but never less than 20 baht. To me anything less just looks insulting (but again, that's just me)

Transport: nothing as it is in the fare.. sometimes round up if I can't/don't want to wait for taxi change.

Maids: my daily change buildup 15-25 baht per day usually

Massage gal: 100 baht

Haircut guy: 30 baht

[kiro]

Thx for the help on this. TukTuk Man - unloooky, this forum just cost you some money.....

[Bello Uomo]

Does the person serving you actually get the tip in Thailand?

So many places here - the tip just goes into the "jar" or a pooled account which is divided amongst everyone working that night.

[MrDK]

Originally Posted by Bello Uomo

Does the person serving you actually get the tip in Thailand?

So many places here - the tip just goes into the "jar" or a pooled account which is divided amongst everyone working that night.

If you leave the tip on the table it generally goes to the "jar". If you want the server to personally get the tip, put it directly in his or her hand. It would be appropriate to tip some for the "jar" and some for the server directly if you so choose.

[Bello Uomo]

Thanks for the tip, L.