Thai-Kiwi

Minimum wage at present is a little over THB 300 a day (~6,000 a month). A few years ago a University grad used to start at around THB 750 a day (~15,000 a month).

brunos

I am sure that the staff accepted the tip gratefully. But wheelchair is part of the normal service provided by airlines. Do you tip ground staff, lounge attendants and FAs?

SunLover

I have tipped the following TG personnel at BKK:

1) When you arrive in TG F they buggy you from the gate to fast track immigration. There you are assigned a 'minder' who waits for you on the other side of immigration, takes any carry-on bags you have to the baggage carousel, then handles all your bags to your transportation method. In my case it was the lower level public taxi stand where he waited in line with me, made sure I got in a cab, confirmed by destination with the driver in thai, and asked him to use the meter. After being in transit for well over 24 hours I appreciated this level of personal service. For this I slipped him 100b ($3 USD) and thanked him very much.

Of course you can arrange for these services ala carte: https://www.limousine.in.th/fast-track-immigration.html

2) When departing in TG F I usually get the oil massage in the Royal Orchid Spa. You are assigned a masseuse who stays with you during your stay. I like to take a steam beforehand, so she has to wait outside the mens locker room for 20-30 minutes before the 1 hour massage even starts. I tip them 100b at the end and thank them very much.

IMO you handled it exactly correctly.


SL

BinSabai

I also do not think that anybody providing Wheel chair service or massage or other services at the airport is at the current minimum wage of 300 THB nationwide like the farmworker at Nakornnowhere or the unskilled factoryworker at Farawayburi. After all this is the capital, one of the prime facility of Thai Tourism and they are required to speak at least some words of English to do their job. But they also do not get 700 as suggested!
Anyway tipping for normal service at 10-30% of the daily wage of the service provider is a very old and controversial topic; also what can be normally expected and what goes beyond that, is controversial
I usually tip only for service that goes beyond my expectation except leaving a small tip for the waitress at the restaurant (unless they add service charge) and the bell boy handling luggage

BinSabai

it would be nice to hear opinions from native Thais about the tipping controversy! Some locals give nothing and some others tip more then the most generous foreigner...

tide

There are no rules. It's much like the USA when receiving service in grey areas - up to generosity, sense of guilt/shame, or just to show off. Thais tip mostly (and extravagantly sometimes) at service establishments such as clubs/bars, nightlife, restaurants, spa/massage, golf course etc.

Not tipping is totally fine as well. I avoid the guy massaging your shoulders at the restroom while you go by simply saying no thank you

BinSabai

...and you are Thai?

SK AAR

If the OP was Thai, the guy in the restroom would not try to impose his neck/shoulder/back massage services on the OP

BinSabai

have seen this otherwise

timster

Yes I saw what happened at the (TG) plane. They were bussed out to the plane in a small minibus. Then had to climb the stairs to the plane themselves. They obviously weren't totally incapacitated or I'm guessing something more might have been done for them. But an elderly gentleman struggled up the stairs while his more ambulant but equally elderly wife struggled up the stairs with his cabin baggage behind him. They were bussed just ahead of the other pax or other pax might have helped them.

These were economy pax. I'm guessing C or F would have got better treatment.

Also I've never seen how the system is actually supposed to work. So I don't know if what I saw is now common or not. Maybe it was a stuffup by TG.

Actually the 'system' should be that TG never buses any pax to/from planes at BKK, which of course they do with annoying regularity ! Use the damn gates !

Re tipping, I'm going to stick my neck out and say that 20baht would be a 'standard' tip (ie the smallest Thai note, much like US$1) given for example to hotel porters who take your bags to your room in a Thai hotel, and would also be suitable for a wheelchair attendant. I would be doubtful of any special English language requirements for these attendants. And after all, most Thais have a decade or so of English language instruction in school, so good English must be common (he says, dripping with cynicism about the Thai education system) ?!

10 tips like that a day would go a long way. That would likely pay a decent chunk of his rent. If he got ten 100 baht tips a day most people in Thailand would want his job !

BinSabai

that is certainy NOT standard at all that wheelchair passengers have to climb stairs themselves. There is a elevator available!

the 20 Baht tip was pretty common and still is in mid to low range hotels and other mid to low priced facilities. At high end hotels and luxury facilities nowadays 20 Baht is considered to be a bit shabby and cheap.

regarding english at Thai School I would not like to comment but I know many who after 9-12 years School (public or private) or even with bachelor degree can't or does not want to speak any English

RedChili

Passengers who request wheelchairs are grouped into three categories:

WCHR are passengers who can walk short distances.
WCHS are passengers who can walk short distances, but who cannot climb stairs.
WCHC are passengers who cannot walk at all.

When you request a wheelchair, you need to inform the airline exactly what your mobility problems are. If you tell them that you can walk and climb stairs, they will insert the WCHR code into your booking, and the assistance service will then assumre that you can climb any necessary stairs to or from the plane. That has nothing to do with TG, BKK, economy or business class. It's the same worldwide for all classes.

The passengers that Timster observed probably had the WCHR code in their booking.

BinSabai

thanks for clarification! one can learn every day!

fairhsa

I realise this is the better forum to post my experience. I landed at BKK last week and a wheelchair had been organised my by airline (not Thai, which is why I didnt look in this forum first). He pushed me from the gate to the taxi rank and then demanded a tip. I offered 20 Baht and he declined that and demanded 100. I eventually gave it to him because I just wanted to leave. But I'm staggered by this behaviour. (I'm not American and live in Asia). I'm wondering if I should complain to the airport authority or something.

BinSabai

Yes you can complain as this behavior is unacceptable or you can make the many overtipping tourists in Thailand responsible for such miserable manners