Thai woman questions paying friend fuel fee for work rides

A Thai woman recently turned to an online forum to seek advice on whether it is appropriate to pay a friend to drive her to work in heavy rain. She questioned if the 100 baht fuel fee per trip was too steep and wondered about the etiquette involved.

This situation unfolded on August 2, when a member of the Pantip forum revealed a disagreement with her friend over transportation issues. The woman, who works part-time at a bar in Lampang, usually rides her motorcycle to work.

However, during the rainy season, she felt unsafe riding the motorcycle over the 7-kilometre distance, as it would leave her soaked and not presentable for her job. Consequently, she asked a male friend living nearby to drive her to the bar. The friend agreed, picking her up at 5pm and driving her home again at 12.30am.

Initially, there were no issues, but after the second trip, the friend began asking for fuel money. At first, she thought it was a one-off gesture of goodwill. However, the friend continued to ask for 100 baht each time he drove her.

Confused, she consulted their mutual friends, wondering if this was normal behaviour. She had heard that this friend typically charged others for fuel when they requested rides. Although she usually paid the fuel fee, she found the amount excessive for a friend, given her understanding of rising fuel costs.

The woman expressed her dilemma, questioning if it was necessary to always give money as a matter of etiquette, even to a friend.

Netizens mostly empathised with the friend who provided the rides, reasoning that he is not a chauffeur and his car runs on fuel, which incurs expenses. Additionally, the time spent picking her up and dropping her off was not part of his responsibilities.

They argued that while occasionally asking a friend for a favour is acceptable, relying on the friend frequently crossed the line of simple goodwill. The consensus suggested she might consider using a taxi service instead, as it is not the friend’s obligation to drive her to work, reported KhaoSod.

“It’s understandable that your friend expects compensation for fuel. It’s not just about the money but also the time and effort he spends on you.”

“Maybe it’s time to find another means of transportation. Your friend seems to be doing you a favour that has become too frequent.”