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tin man
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I am often somewhat bemused when reading the brothers various attitudes to tipping, and wanted to pass on some thoughts:
Why is it that people feel obliged to tip? Why do some people think that poor or average service should be rewarded?
Before the do-gooder brigade start smamming back righteous replies, let me make two points viz: I do tip if the service has been good and yes, I am aware the amount is paltry compared to my own currency.
However...
We need to put the whole thing into perspective. When you tip someone, you need to consider not only what the amount in question means to you, but what it means to the recipiant. Think about a tip, for example, of THB200. This is a tip in excess of one days wages for an unskilled worker. In your own country, what do you think would happen if you tipped a taxi driver, prostitute etc a days wages for a short trip across town or an hours work?
I have travelled and worked in many thirs world and developing countries and have seen first hand what happens when the levels of expectations are raised to unrealistic levels. Gradually service standards slip, and rather than staff being thankful or happy with a tip, they become angry or resentful if the tip they do receive is not the level to which they have become accustomed.
Unfortunately, the biggest offenders in this are the Japanese and Americans, both whom would tip someone who dropped a dog turd in their coffee just on a matter of principle (sorry for the generalisation).
What I am trying to say is this: If the service you receive is good, tip generously in line with that service. If the service is poor then dont.
I think that anyone who tips bad service has zero right to complain about falling levels of service and rising prices, because they are the part of the problem in rewarding the situation that they are complaining about.
Just a thought....
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 6:57 pm on Oct. 27, 2003
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Beeman10106
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Tin Man
What you say has a general ring of truth and sensibility. However, in the USA most people realize that certain workers in the "service industry" restaurants primarily, are subject to tax on tips that they may or may not receive. The IRS has a standard that they apply to these workers based on the annual revenue of the particular establishment. I don't know about Japan, but in the USA what it comes down to is that if a waiter/waitress is "stiffed" he or she has not only lost money that day, but will be taxed on what he or she would have gotten as a gratuity.
The point I am making is that, armed with this knowledge, the majority of Americans usually tip regardless of service. I believe that poor service should be addressed at the time, and management should become aware it. This could make a poor worker better or perhaps that particular person is not suited for that type of job. In any event, by bringing poor service to the attention of mamagement you might just spare the next customer poor service as well. IMO.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 7:21 pm on Oct. 27, 2003
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PopSecret
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I tip anywhere from 0% - 40%, usually around 20% for any sort of tipable service regardless of the location and it doesn't cause me much stress to leave nothing when I'm disappointed. However, like you, I know plenty of people who seem to tip regardless of service and who even consider 10% to be a punishment to the service staff. These are the sort of folks who will even add to your tip if they feel you have been unfair. I also know people who refuse to acknowledge good service with a nice tip. These types would be hard-pressed to leave more than the loose coins left over after payment no matter how good the service was.
We may never understand such people and their reasoning. However, I'm not so sure that tipping itself is really so damaging to the level of service you get. Seems to me that I've gotten equal levels of good service and bad service regardless of the tipping customs. Some people care and some people don't. The threat of loosing a tip doesn't seem to sway people as much as we would like to believe.
BTW, I don't think tipping with cash is the custom in Japan. Maybe that's why they tip like fools when they are elsewhere?
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:43 pm on Oct. 27, 2003
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Mr Alan
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I don't think tipping is the norm in Japan either. But many times there is a service charge added to your bill automatically. This is similar to many establishments in LOS, at least those that cater to farangs.
In Japan, I have actually experienced a bellman in a hotel who refused a tip. Of course, a 10% service fee tacked on to Japan hotel rates is a hefty sum of money.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 9:21 pm on Oct. 27, 2003
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haam sup
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I'm a 'when in Rome' kinda guy - I tip service staff in Thailand on the Thai plan, except in those venues where the clientele is mainly farang, and tips are scaled up already. ŬGirls are a seperate topic, though, and I am wildly erratic, according to my own set of voodoo and neuro-centric rules, which I NEVER disclose 
In the US, aside from the IRS money-grubbers assessing a 'proactive' tax, service staff is GROSSLY underpaid by design (the owner makes his profits on their backs), and customers are expected to make up the difference. ŬIn principle, I disapprove of the reward/punishment tipping model, because I don't think that it is effective, but unless I'm feeling supremely mentally healthy, I can't resist the urge to stiff a prick/c*** waitperson. ŬAnd, I am sufficiently emotionally needy that, sometimes, I will leave EXORBITANTLY EXTRAVAGANT tips for a small extra kindness (like a BJ under the table).
I HAVE, however, outgrown the old 'tip-under-the-full-inverted-glass-of-water' trick, at least for the moment.
haam sup
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 9:54 pm on Oct. 27, 2003
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dirty guru
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I walked by a guy that is in the hot hotel garden labouring at noon , and noticed his expression. Here i was a farang, an up market hooker in hand of to the pool...i stopped and gave the guy 100 baht, and asked the staff at poolside if he was allowed a cold drink?...They ofcourse gave him one. Next day the expression changed to a happy less envious one , he got 20 baht. ....the hotel laundry lady, the guy that carries a bag, all these people qualify for 20 baht, the drink waitress, same same, the hooker...well thats entirely up to them, but my point is, we are fortunate, these people less so. Its an individual thing, but it is appreciated, and does at times make them see us alittle better in general..dg
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:10 pm on Oct. 27, 2003
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Arcadius
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Why is it that people feel obliged to tip?
Why is it that people feel obliged to say 'please', 'thank-you', 'excuse me', 'sorry' etc?
I don't think many people put a great deal of thought into whether they actually feel grateful, penitent or whatever - these are just routine social courtesies. Most of us tip what we think is expected because it would feel impolite and boorish not to, and it's not an issue we can be bothered thinking about unless the service has been exceptionally good or bad.
OK, we all know that tipping customs vary greatly from place to place. Seems to me that most guys anxious to know the score in LOS just want to avoid drawing attention to themselves through inappropriate behaviour. A sensitivity to the local etiquette when travelling abroad isn't such a bad thing.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:46 am on Oct. 28, 2003
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dirty guru
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and empathy.......there for the grace of god there go I?...........attension if your me in thailand is not easy to hide. I am out for max fun......but dispite the wild times and attempt at defeating a mid life crisis , i see humanity.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:55 am on Oct. 28, 2003
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dagul
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Quote from tin man: "Unfortunately, the biggest offenders in this are the Japanese and Americans,both whom would tip someone who dropped a dog turd in their coffee just on a matter of principle (sorry for the generalisation)."
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Hi tin man,
I understand your thoughts and agree with some but with regards to the above quote (and I forgive your generalizations) - believe me, someone who has worked in the service industry most of their life - there are many Americans who don't tip no matter how nice, how much you go out of your way, how good the service you provided their sorry ass - they don't give a shit, or they are just ignorant to tipping etiquette.
For me, the only way I don't tip if is if they are straight up rude but not really for slow or incorrect service, that just decreases it a little, but not much. If they are kind and helpful they usually get 20-25%.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 1:21 am on Oct. 28, 2003
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dagul
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However I do fall under the generalization,
Anyone ever start off their trip in Thailand tipping like crazy - buying coffee for 80 Baht, tipping a 100 Baht. ŬAfter day or two realize your ridiculous and start tipping 20 or whatever. ŬI often wonder what my hotel waiters think - too much P4P probably...
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:27 am on Oct. 28, 2003
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