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Tipping in Thailand

Appreciated, not requiredTHB (฿)Tips: cash preferred

Here's the tip.

Not traditional, but small tips are normal and welcome.

Thais have not historically tipped, but decades of tourism have made small gratuities routine in hotels, tours and tourist-area restaurants. Nothing is compulsory, amounts are small, and leaving coins is considered slightly dismissive. Round up to a note instead.

At a glance

Card tipping. Card terminals rarely offer a tip line. Cash in baht is the practical way to tip, and small notes are much more useful than coins.

  • Upmarket restaurants and hotels often add a 10% service charge plus 7% VAT. The service charge does not always reach staff.
  • Leaving small coins is seen as a bit rude. Round up to the nearest 20 baht instead.
  • Street food stalls and local markets are not tipped at all.

Tip calculator

10%
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THAILAND

The tipping cheat sheet

  • RestaurantsRound up, or 10%
  • CafésRound up
  • Bars฿20–50 per round
  • TaxisRound up
  • Hotel porters฿20–70 per bag
  • Housekeeping฿20–50 per day

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Things to do in Thailand

Where are you actually going? These are the best rated in each place.

BangkokPrivate Floating market and Railway Market & Ayutthaya Historical5.0·119 reviews·from €163.92PhuketPrivate James Bond Island Speedboat Adventure Tour w/ Canoeing5.0·148 reviews·from €1087.56Chiang MaiChiang Mai Jungle Coffee Experience: Farm Trek, Roast & Brew.5.0·127 reviews·from €103.75Krabi4 Islands Sunset Private Tour5.0·60 reviews·from €409.56

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Travelling in Thailand?

Stay connectedGet an eSIM before you land so you can check fares, maps and this guide without roaming charges.View eSIM plansAirport transfersBook a fixed-price transfer in advance and skip the taxi-rank negotiation.Book a transfer

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Common questions

Do you tip in Thailand?
Not traditional, but small tips are normal and welcome. Thais have not historically tipped, but decades of tourism have made small gratuities routine in hotels, tours and tourist-area restaurants. Nothing is compulsory, amounts are small, and leaving coins is considered slightly dismissive. Round up to a note instead.
How much do you tip at a restaurant in Thailand?
Round up, or 10%. Round up at local places, 10% at a proper restaurant.
Can you tip by card in Thailand?
Card terminals rarely offer a tip line. Cash in baht is the practical way to tip, and small notes are much more useful than coins.

Reviewed by Greg Kockott on 3 September 2026.

Figures checked against the sources below on 4 September 2026.

Sources