Vacation Thailand - Tipping  ... by ash-hotel.com

To tip or not to tip

Practical nomads who have been to a lot of places know that tipping has always been a very  good gesture of appreciation for services rendered. Tip, however you look at it, is a subtle bribe for special treatment to any of those in the service field, such as the bartender, waiter or waitress, host or hostess, doorman, room service attendant, service station attendant, sigh-seeing guide, usher, driver, bellman, masseur or masseuse.

Of course, a bribe usually comes before service is rendered. While the tip always come after. In a way, it is saying thank you - in kind.
While tipping is a discretion on the part of guest or patron, service people in most tourist-oriented countries like Thailand - no matter the Sunday morning smiles they accord you - expect a tip. In their vocabulary, a tip means "to insure prompt" service. So if you want to experience the full wrath of the bellman or any person doing the service for you, don't tip him. Ask the hotel managers and owners of massage parlors, they'll tell you they are trying to discourage tipping. They are empty  words, really.

One standard rule in tipping is that if someone renders special service to you along  the way, you can show your appreciation with a tip. But tipping can be a problem if you do not know the appropriate amount to tip.
Tipping is as different to every country as it is with every establishment. The going rate of tipping in the United States, according to service personnel, is 15 percent of the cost of a service. Although this is still the norm, it is slowly going up to 20 percent.

Internationally, the rules become even more disparate. In most of Europe, tourists are expected to tip for many services, such as getting directions around town, things considered freebies in America. In China, on the other hand, tipping your waiter or bellman is considered rude. In Italy, customary rates of five percent is given to the one who is asked to wait to render a particular service.

In Thailand tipping chiefly depends on the generosity of individual. Some restaurants already includes a service charge in a bill. But guests usually don't mind giving away the loose change, particularly if the service is good.
In some massage parlors, for instance, they don't encourage tipping to masseuse or masseurs. At least, that's what managers tell us. But if you are more than satisfied with the service, handing out a Bt100 bill would be reasonable. If it was body massage, however, and there was much special service rendered, Bt200 to Bt500 is the going rate for "tips". A  establishment requires not less than Bt700. In some place it goes up to even to Bt1,000. But that goes for splendid body service.

In a bar, a tip is not necessary if you had nothing but a swig. If you took a go-go girl to sit by, you order drinks for her and that takes care of her service. You can go without any tip but then you become a marked man. Next time you come by, the girls may try to avoid you like the plague - if there are other customer around.

For taxis, you don't have to pay extra because they already charge Bt35 on flag-down. But if the driver brought you back to the hotel in one piece after showing you around without any hassle, a generous tip certainly would be welcome.

For charming caddy, lugging your heavy golf bag and assisting you with the direction of your shots and line of your putts, the minimum tip is Bht.100, average 150 -200 and more if you feel good about it 

The thing about tipping is , it's not an obligation, as far as this part of the world is concerned. It's a gift you give to someone who deserves it. After all, it's not all money up for it through a warm smile and sincere "thank you". This may not fatten a service worker's pocket but it certainly will warm his heart all throughout the day.

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