It's nice to see you and a few others making these and similar comments.

The same applies to those of us who also have a long term friend who depends on us to some extent for economic support. If one spends all his time trying to figure out the least amount he can give his friend, using a 7/Eleven clerk as the standard and if he is constantly worrying that the young man is plotting to extract more from him, what's the point of even maintaining such a "relationship?"

For the bar boys, especially in Bangkok, I think B2000 should be an absolute minimum unless they have some really bad attitude . Aside from giving him a reasonable amount for the work he is doing, it can also be self-serving. If you off the same boy several times and he gets to know you and to know you'll treat him fairly, almost always you'll be the beneficiary. If he's happy he'll want to make sure you're happy too. Paying a reasonable amount doesn't make the boys greedy, but treating them badly and paying something ridiculous like B500 or even B1000 will certainly make them cynical, suspicious and far less likely to want to make an effort to please.

Over the past ten years the tipping amounts discussed on message boards seem barely to have changed. Think about what you paid for things or for services ten years ago compared to now. The tips ought to have increased over that time at least at the same rate.

And, if someone has a long term friend who he claims to love or at least care about, money will cease to be an issue between you if you make sure he has enough to be comfortable and he feels free to ask if there is some special need. My friend always makes me happy (and I don't mean just sex) so I want him to be happy too, and not just as happy as a 7/Eleven clerk.

Anyway, it's nice to see that many people have such a generous attitude and are willing to speak up.

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