Give Your Delivery Drivers Some Thanks

READER SUBMISSION

Good day, Pattaya Unplugged!

I wanted to write in today to remind people to take care of their service people and delivery drivers during these challenging times we are going through.  

Everyone knows by now that the world is doing the “social distancing” thing.  In order for us to stay in the house and stop the spread of this virus, we need to be able to eat.  Our hats are off to the doctors and nurses that are battling the virus but we also need to think of the other people making sacrifices so that we don’t go hungry as well.

Since this whole thing started, I, like many others, have become extremely reliant on GRAB as I do not stay in a room with a kitchen.  If I can’t zap it in a microwave, it isn’t getting hot.  I understand that everyone is having financial issues at the moment because of the coronavirus, therefore, I try to make sure I tip my drivers well.

Yesterday, my driver came and dropped off my food and when he went to hand me back the 60 baht change, I told him not to worry about it.  He asked if I was sure and I responded for him to keep it.  You have never seen a Thai person wai so low with appreciation before.  He instantly got choked up and I asked if he was okay.  In semi-decent broken-English, he explained that I was his 6th delivery of the day and the first person that gave him a tip.

I could see he was getting tears in his eyes and I didn’t want him to get embarrassed, so I thanked him for the food and walked away as he thanked me in return again and headed back to the room.  How could I have been his 6th delivery of the day but the only person to tip?

We need to make sure that we are taking care of the servicemen and women who are sacrificing their time and potential health during this pandemic so that we can maintain some type of a normal/comfortable life while adhering to the social distancing measures.  Delivery drivers are people too, often with families of their own to support on their somewhat meagre wages.  

We should all put ourselves in their shoes.  Let’s face it, most of us wouldn’t want to be out driving around and putting ourselves at risk either.  They do it because they have to do it to survive.  Many people across Thailand do not have a way to cook in their room and would be completely screwed without restaurants and delivery services like GRAB.  It’s only right that we think about them as well.

I understand that some people will get pissy and say that tipping is not required in Asia.  I personally believe that anyone that doesn’t tip just because they don’t have to tip is a bellend to the 100th degree.  In most of our home countries, we tip, not because we have to but because it is the human and compassionate thing to do.

END RANT