Read amazing stories of how people change!| Thailand...A Kingdom of Wonderment |
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Thailand is a great country, but it is a little confusing. To give you a quick example, a friend recently gave a small tip to a taxi driver who looked puzzled and respectfully gave it back, saluting as he did so. This is a quick guide to where, when and how much money to tip while travelling around Thailand. On the whole, people in Thailand do not expect to be tipped, but when they do they really, really appreciate it...as long as it's in the right situation! To understand this odd anomaly let's take a quick side step into the rich cultural make up of Thailand. Thailand is a Buddhist country, with an estimated ninety per cent practicing Buddhists. There is a surprisingly high proportion of Christians as well until you realise they are mostly the same people. It's not at all unusual for people to visit both a Christian church and a Buddhist temple. The pragmatic nature, as well as the fanaticism of all things spiritual, means that Thai people like to keep all spiritual areas covered, just in case. A central tenant of Buddhism is doing good for others without anything in return. It's by doing kind and thoughtful favours that one earns Buddhist "merit". If a Thai person spontaneously goes out of their way to help you, it kind of messes up the merit system if you pay for it. People can become a little indignant and will respectfully give back your money. Whatever you do don't try to offer more as this will decrease even more merit and so the situation will escalate. Other situations where tipping is not expected is where you are being "over" charged in the first place. It's no secret that Thai people earn a lot less than almost all foreigners coming into the country. A teacher in a busy secondary school, for example, is probably on less than a waitress in London...almost half as less actually. It's not unusual for rice farming families to survive for an entire year on what it will cost you to have a slap up dinner for 4 in a good restaurant in New York or Paris. It's hardly surprising, bearing that in mind, that a taxi driver, or Tuk Tuk driver (the motorised three wheelers), will charge you double what he will charge a Thai person. They are not being bad, just realistic. If you are being charged double for something there really is very little reason to tip on top of it. You can if you want, but there really is no need. Where giving a tip is really appreciated though, are in jobs where the wage is set and there is no other way of "buncing" up the money, except for kindly donations. Jobs in hotels, restaurants, taxi drivers who work on a meter, car par attendants, cleaners, tour guides...all the classic service industries rely on your kindness. How much is up to you. I would suggest the minimum is 20 Baht, which will buy lunch at a street stall, 50 Baht is always most welcome and people always hope to see the pinky red of a 100 Baht note. When the minimum wage for unskilled labour is around 250 Baht per day this represents half a days work but won't even buy you a cup of coffee in the airport you departed from. I once gave a team of removal men 500 Baht, which wouldn't even buy a round of drinks back in London, and the guy in charge nearly wept with joy. He made a speech in the best English he had welcoming me to his country and wishing me well. All the men saluted and bowed graciously. I think I earned myself a little Buddhist merit.
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