Tipping in Bangkok?

Question

Any advice as to rate of tip when good service received for taxi, bellboys and resturants in Bangkok please?

Answer 1

This question has come up before. I didn't say anything before but the YA crowd always gets it wrong. I figure they're mainly young people short of cash or retired expats on a tight budget for their living expenses, so they can't afford to tip properly. Its no big deal but Thai people aren't going to be grateful for a Baht20 or Baht40 (USD1) tip. Of course they'll smile and wai but that's the Thai way. In their hearts they'll be thinking "what a stingy foreigner". Thy're probably want to give the tip back to you (on the basis that you clearly need the money more than them), but they won't because that wouldn't be polite. They probably give it to the next beggar they see on the basis that to keep such a small tip would make them stingy and money-grabbing which would bring bad luck to their lives.

Taxis and restaurants are special and I'll deal with them later but generally their a three levels of tipping which correspond to the three highest denomination banknotes in Thailand. Baht 100 (aboutUSD3) is for a small service (taking minutes), Baht 500 (about USD15) is medium sized tip for a service taking from an hour to a few hours to perform or in inconvenient to have to perform and Baht1,000 (about USD30) is for big a service that takes up to day or is quite difficult to perform for example when I got my car stuck in the mud last summer I needed a stranger's help to get me out - it took hours and was hard physical work so I gave him Baht1,000 - still much cheaper than calling out a truck from a garage to pull me out.

As in every country, tipping is a sign of appreciation of the service performed gratis when it need not be. The Thai person will certainly know the value of the service they have perfoemed over and above the call of duty and if a visitor doesn't tip appropriately they'll be written off as stingy and in the future that visitor isn't going to get anything more than they have contracted for.

Taxi's - from the airport - this isn't really doing anything above and beyond the call of duty so there is no need for much of a tip - round up to something like the nearest Baht20 (the smallest Thai banknote) unless that would only be a few Baht in which case, add on another 20.

Local restaurants - Baht 20 - they're not doing anything more than you contracted for so no need for much of a tip.

Hotel Porters In a decent hotel (3 star plus) - Baht100 unless you want to be written off as a stingy foreigner.

Answer 2

Tipping be careful. Don't over tip.

Taxi's, I usually give them the change depending on service. If the fare is 130 baht then give them 140 baht and they keep the change. Around 10 percent is good. And if they handle my bag, an extra 10-20 baht.

Bellboys, I give them 20 baht per bag. I think that is a little too much sometimes.

Restaurants, watch out, most restaurants in Bangkok add a service charge, this is supposed to be given to the waiters, etc. at the end of the month. The "Service Charge" is 10 percent of the bill. So, just leave the change if you want or pick up all the change. So, no additional tip is necessary unless you give it to them directly. The restaurants and hotels started doing this about the beginning of 2006.

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Good luck and enjoy your trip.
Have a good trip.

Answer 3

About 10 or 20 baht for taxis. If you have alot of luggage then give a bellboy about 100 baht. If you don't much luggage give them about 50 baht. if its expensive then a dollar or more but any amount is fine for a resturant

Answer 4

Tipping is still mostly considered a reward for good service - in most hotels, 20 baht is fine for the guy carrying your stuff - and they don't think like westerners, one bag or 3 bags.. its all the same.. in other places the leftover change as noted above is considered nice - - if someone does something special or you particularly like them [ I like the laughing old taxi drivers ] I will throw an extra 20 baht and they really really appreciate it..

Have a good time, smile alot and enjoy, I will be in bkk on Tuesday... what fun..

Answer 5

Just about everyone said what I wanted to say - pretty much spot on.

While tipping is NOT compulsory, I usually do it because most of the people work so hard for the little money they get. Usually 20 - 30 baht is plenty. (except for one time I tipped a driver 100 baht because I was in a hurry to get to the airport and the driver did what he could to get me there in plenty of time - plus helped with the luggage). I don't usually tip at restaurants because they charge me enough already.

Too much tipping tend to make people EXPECT it and this is not going to do tourism industry any favour.

Although I think 100 baht for hotel porter is probably too much.

Anyway - that's my thought.

Answer 6

i don't usually tips taxi drivers or anywhere they have a service charge. i will tip a bellboy about 20 baht, a waitress 10 - 20, the girl who give me a great massage every week 20 baht and that's about it.

Answer 7

B20 for a bellboy is fair, I think. Number of bags doesn't matter. But my Thai friend said tip B20 note, not small coins. I don't know why but medley of coins is considered very rude.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

the elephant ppl in chiang mai they get like 100 baht a month, and once i saw this either very generous, or very stupid foreigner tip him FIVE HUNDRED.
thats 5 months' worth of work, in one day.
just remember, tipping in thailand, if you dont wanna end up broke, do it the thai style.

Answer 10

20 baht is fine.