"++" after a price in Thailand means that two charges will be added: a 10% service charge and then 7% VAT. Because the VAT is calculated on the price including the service charge, a dish listed at 100 baht++ costs 117.70 baht on the bill.
The quick rule: multiply by 1.177. 100 baht++ becomes 117.70 baht, 1,000 baht++ becomes 1,177 baht. The extra is 17.7%, not 17%, because the 7% VAT is charged on the service charge too. The 7% VAT rate applies until 30 September 2027 (checked October 2026).
You will see the two plus signs mostly in hotels, hotel restaurants, bars and many sit-down restaurants in malls. Street stalls, markets and small local restaurants almost never use them: the price on the board is what you pay. The notation looks strange the first time, but once you know the multiplier, it is easy to work out the real price before you order. It is a different issue from the separate foreigner prices at some attractions, which our page on dual pricing covers.
The two charges behind the plus signs
The first plus is the service charge. Ten percent is the level almost every hotel and restaurant uses, but it is a business practice, not a rate set by law, so a menu may show a different figure. We found no official rule on whether the service charge must be passed on to staff.
The second plus is value added tax (VAT). The Revenue Department defines the VAT base as the total value received for goods or services, and that value explicitly includes service fees. That is why the VAT is charged on the meal plus the service charge, not on the meal alone. Thailand's VAT law sets a higher standard rate, but a reduced rate of 7% has been extended year by year. The latest extension, Royal Decree No. 807 dated 20 August 2026, keeps 7% from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027, according to tax alerts from KPMG and BDO. Reports that VAT would rise to 10% in October 2026 were wrong.
The worked example: 100 baht becomes 117.70
Take a dish listed at 100 baht++. The calculation runs in two steps:
- Service charge: 100 × 10% = 10 baht, so the subtotal is 110 baht.
- VAT: 110 × 7% = 7.70 baht, so the total is 117.70 baht.
The same arithmetic for a few typical amounts:
| Listed price | Service charge (10%) | VAT (7% of subtotal) | You pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ฿100++ | ฿10 | ฿7.70 | ฿117.70 |
| ฿250++ | ฿25 | ฿19.25 | ฿294.25 |
| ฿450++ | ฿45 | ฿34.65 | ฿529.65 |
| ฿1,000++ | ฿100 | ฿77 | ฿1,177 |
| ฿3,500++ | ฿350 | ฿269.50 | ฿4,119.50 |
To go the other way, divide the total by 1.177. A bill of 1,177 baht for a "++" menu means the listed prices added up to 1,000 baht. On a large group dinner, a hotel buffet or a few nights of room service, the 17.7% adds up quickly, so it is worth working into a budget; our guide to what a day in Thailand costs gives the general price levels.
Where you will see "++", and where you will not
Typical places that list prices with "++":
- Hotel restaurants, lobby bars, room-service menus and hotel buffets, including the Christmas and New Year dinners described in our guide to the holiday season in Thailand.
- Many sit-down restaurant chains in shopping malls, and international restaurants in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya.
- Hotel spa menus, meeting rooms and event packages; for massage shops outside hotels, our Thai massage guide describes the usual prices.
- Some hotel room rates and package offers.
Food courts, market stalls, noodle shops and most family-run restaurants show a single price with nothing added. Booking websites differ in whether the first price they show includes taxes, so check the final payment screen before you confirm. If a menu shows a price with no plus signs but has a line in small print such as "subject to service charge and VAT", the effect is the same as "++".
"Net" prices: what it means when nothing is added
"Net" is the opposite of "++": the price already includes service charge and VAT, and nothing more will be added. Many hotels use it for promotions and packages to make the price clear. In October 2026, for example, two of three Bangkok hotel pool day passes we checked were advertised as net prices, while the third added a separate pool service fee on top. If a hotel offer does not say "net" or "++", ask before you book. Our guide to resort day passes shows how this works for pool and beach-club offers.
One plus sign is a question, not an answer. A price with a single "+" usually means one charge will be added, but it does not say which. Ask whether it is the service charge, the VAT or both, before you order.
Should you tip on top of a service charge?
You do not have to. The service charge is the restaurant's own charge for service, and many people leave nothing more, or a few coins in cash for the staff who served them if the service was good. Our article on tipping in Thailand covers what is usual in restaurants, hotels and spas.
Can you get the VAT back, and what if the bill is wrong?
Not on a meal or a hotel bill. The tourist VAT refund applies only to goods you take out of the country, bought in shops that take part in the scheme, with at least 2,000 baht per shop per day. Services such as restaurant meals and hotel rooms are not covered. Our guide to the VAT refund for tourists explains the forms and the airport steps.
If you are charged "++" when the menu showed net prices, or the service charge is higher than stated, ask to see the menu and the itemized bill before you pay. Most mistakes are fixed at the table. If not, our page on complaints and refunds in Thailand explains when to contact the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (1166) or the Tourist Police (1155). We did not find an official rule from the Department of Internal Trade on how menus must show service charges, so we cannot say whether a particular menu breaks the law. Paying by card leaves a record that helps in a dispute; see our guide to using cards in Thailand.
Frequently asked questions
What does ++ mean in a Thai restaurant?
It means a 10% service charge and 7% VAT will be added to the menu price. The VAT is charged on the price including the service charge, so the total is 17.7% more than the listed price: 100 baht++ costs 117.70 baht.
Is ++ 17% or 17.7%?
It is 17.7%. The service charge is added first (100 becomes 110), and 7% VAT is then charged on 110, which adds 7.70 baht. People who simply add 10% and 7% get 117 baht, which is 70 satang short per 100 baht.
Is VAT in Thailand going up to 10%?
Not before October 2027. Royal Decree No. 807 of 20 August 2026 keeps the reduced 7% rate from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027, according to KPMG and BDO. Check again before then, because the rate is reviewed each year.
What does "net" mean on a Thai price?
"Net" means the price already includes any service charge and VAT, so nothing is added at the till. Hotels often use it for packages and promotions. If an offer says neither "net" nor "++", ask before you pay.
Sources
- Revenue Department – Value Added Tax: tax base and rate (checked October 2026)
- KPMG – Thailand: Reduced 7% VAT rate extended through September 2027 (checked October 2026)
- BDO Thailand – Extension of 7% VAT up to 30 September 2027 (checked October 2026)
- Revenue Department – VAT Refund for Tourists: goods and conditions (checked October 2026)
- Office of the Consumer Protection Board – Complaint center 1166 (checked October 2026)