One of the most difficult tasks while visiting abroad is to find out the tipping culture of that country. With one of the most favorite destinations of all, it’s difficult to find out the rules about tipping in Thailand.
Here are some of the common questions that we are going to answer in this post;
- When should you tip in Thailand?
- Are you tipping in Thailand enough?
- How much to tip in Thailand?
- To Tip or Not To Tip in Thailand?
Tipping in Thailand
One of the most asked questions is while you are in Thailand whether it’s correct to tip or not to tip? When I visited Thailand for the first time this question comes to my mind with my first taxi book.
This incident was way back in 2010 and I was pretty confused about tipping in Thailand. So with hesitation, I end up giving complete change to the taxi driver and he just gives a curious smile to me.
So what’s the conclusion of this? Am I end up giving too much money which he hadn’t expected or did something else just happened?
All of my queries shut out once I meet Jhon who is a regular traveler to Thailand and he just explained the process of tipping in Thailand.
Knowing when to tip and how much is very much essential no matter which country you travel to. So to simplify the process of tipping in Thailand I published this post which will definitely help you with your travel to Thailand.
To Tip Or Not To Tip in Thailand?
This tipping in Thailand guide is intended for tourists in Thailand, as it is not common for local Thais to tip. Even though tipping in Thailand is becoming more and more common.
Tipping in Thailand is more common but it’s not mandatory. Some may think tipping is crazy and not to tip this much or that little however one must realize how little daily wages most locals are paid.
The average Thai wage is less than 9,000 baht a month which comes to 300 USD so giving extra twenty baht tipping in Thailand is really appreciable.
Thailand Different Places With Suggested Tip
1. Street Food Vendor
Tip: Not Required
Most street food vendors don’t look for tips and they will return the tip thinking you gave them mistakenly. One must say they are very cooperative with travel and thinks that you may have given the tip as an overpayment.
Most street food items in Thailand are of fixed price and hence do not require any tip however, if you think the food is really tasty then you can offer a few baht coins.
2. Tipping Your Taxi in Thailand
Tip: 5 to 7 Baht Tip On 100 Baht Fare
Always remember to agree on a price in advance or make sure it will be a metered fare before you get in the cab. Most people round up their fare which includes tipping mount and you should also do that. If the service is not good, it is not expected that you give a tip.
3. Tipping in Thailand Fast Food Restaurants and Coffee Shops
Tip: Not Required
If you visited any self-serve fast-food restaurants, coffee shops, and other shops like KFC, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Tom Tom’s, etc then no need to leave any tip. However, if you are visited any shop where the server comes to your table to serve and that has a tipping box then you can leave a couple of Baht coins in them.
4. Tour Guide
Tip: half-day tour 100+ baht and full-day tour 300+ baht
The tour can differ as per locations and tips too. So it’s hard to find out how much you should be tipping in Thailand for tours.
5. Tipping At Sit Down Restaurants
Tip: 10-15 baht tip for every 100 baht bill
We all tip roughly 10% of the bill every time we go to restaurants. However, if you dine at premium restaurants then that 10% rule isn’t going to be applied anymore. You have to give the tip based on the experience not on the service as service charges are generally added to these types of restaurants.
When tipping in a sit-down restaurant in Thailand always look at the cost of the meal and the service. If you feel that you had an amazing experience then tip a little extra. And if you had a terrible server and dining experience then you shouldn’t tip at all. The same goes when tipping in Thailand at restaurants.
6. Tipping At Bars
Tip: 10 baht for two drinks
Tipping in Thailand bar varies from bar to bar. While going to the general Thai bar where you go and drink your own drinks then no tip is required in that case.
While in some cases if you chat with a bartender for a while and are pleased with the service then you can offer up to 100 bahts. It is common for the sky bars in Bangkok to charge a service charge, so no need to tip unless it was exceptional service and you want to leave an additional tip.
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7. Tipping in Thai Massage Center
Tip: 20 baht tip for 100 baht message
We all know Thailand is famous for its relaxing Thai massage. It’s a fact that Thai massages are quite cheap and being a masseuse doesn’t pay well. Most of cases masseuses get quite a small fraction of what you pay for the massage and It’s also one of the hardest jobs to do. So try to give at least 15% to 20% directly to the masseuse to ensure it goes to the correct person.
8. Tipping Hair Stylists
Tip: 20 baht tip for a 200 baht appointment
Most of the high-end hair salons in Thailand have a tip jar at the checkout, you can give anywhere up to 10% however if you are visiting a local Thai hair salon then there is no need to tip. But tipping 20 baht would be nice to help him out.
9. Tipping The Bell Boys
Tip: Anything up to 50 baht
If you are planning to stay in a nicer premium hotel then they are most likely to send your luggage up to your room. So how much you should tip the bellboy? Well, it depends on how much baht you have, anything from 50 to 100 baht is perfect. Remember that there is no tipping rule in Thailand however, bell boys hang around the door when exiting expecting a tip.
10. TUK TUK Drivers
Tip: None
It’s advisable that you should always negotiate the price before hiring a tuk-tuk. In most of the tourist cities in Thailand, you can expect some level of bartering over the fare. Tuk-tuk drivers in Bangkok especially are known for their scams of overcharging or bringing you to shops where they will get a commission. So it’s better to use Uber or
Grab a Taxi when possible.
For any other services try to pay anything between 10 to 50 baht depending upon the service quality.
