A couple of months ago I was eating with some friends at a very nice restaurant in Paragon. When the bill came we paid our fair share a left around 200 baht (6usd) for the tip.

The Thai guy of the group who is a successful actor in Thailand said, “What are you doing? You’re going to ruin it for Thai people, never leave that much for a tip.” Then he took the 200 baht and replaced it with 20 baht and some coins. (Totaling $1.00 for a bill over $125)

American’s are conditioned to tip anywhere between 10 – 25 percent depending on the level of service.

In Thailand it’s different, even though our check for the lunch was over 4,000 baht, the acceptable tip to leave is the either the smallest Thai note or simply the coins.

Question: How much are you suppose to tip in Thailand?

Answer: Usually never more than 20 baht. (Or just leave the coins.)

It will feel strange at first leaving such a small tip, especially since I’ve always been a generous tipper. However as they say, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Also note, many restaurants in tourist areas already add a flat 10% service charge to your bill. In this case, leave no tip.