Tipping & Service

Thailand is not a tipping culture in the American sense. Nobody depends on tips for a wage and nobody will be put out if you leave nothing. But it is warmly received, and in one or two situations it is simply what people do.

The short version

• Restaurants: leaving the coins from your change is normal. Somewhere smarter, rounding up or around 10% is generous.
• Service charge: if 10% is on the bill, you have already tipped.
• Street food and markets: no tip, and none expected.
• Massage: this is the one where it genuinely is customary — 50 to 100 baht for an hour is normal and much appreciated.
• Taxis and Grab: round up.
• Hotel and villa staff: a note for someone who has carried bags or gone out of their way.

What counts for more

Thai service culture runs on composure and courtesy. A few things go a very long way:

• Say thank you — khop khun krap if you are a man, khop khun ka if you are a woman
• Stay calm. Raising your voice loses you the room entirely and will not speed anything up
• Smile. It is not a cliche; it is the working currency of daily interaction here
• Be patient with the pace — things happen in their own time