Is it rude to tip in Thailand, or is it now expected in tourist areas?

There is no official answer to this and anyone claiming one is guessing. The reports pull in opposite directions: that tipping was never the norm, that rounding up is normal and welcome, and that tourist areas have shifted towards expecting it while everywhere else has not. All three can be true at once depending on the setting, which is why a single rule repeated in travel articles keeps failing people. The budget side of eating and moving around is what we cover: https://meetlocale.com/guides/thailand-daily-budget For those living there: where do you tip, where do you not, and has that changed?