If you are visiting Thailand for the first time, one of the best things you will notice quickly is that the people eat with a fork and spoon. This is contradictory to the Western way of using a knife and fork/spoon for eating. As a result of this, you may be wondering why people eat with a fork and spoon in this Southeast Asian country.
There are many as various factors could have influenced the decision of Thai people to eat with fork and spoon. However, the most common reasons include the traditional use of a knife in Thailand is not eating and the European influence in the past. Also, the type of food they usually eat in Thailand makes it reasonable for people to eat with a fork and spoon in Thailand.
Although we cannot say the particular time that Thais started eating with fork and spoon, it has been happening for a long period. It is noteworthy that a few other countries in Southeast Asia also have similar eating etiquette. In Thailand, some of the reasons for eating with a fork and spoon are highlighted below.
European influence with some modification
Foremost, it is important to realize that the ancient Thais didn’t eat with a fork, spoon, knife, or other utensils. They ate their food with bare hands for hundreds of years without any issue. Besides, the missionaries had introduced the use of chopsticks to the people of Siam, as Thailand was formerly called, but they refused it. According to folklore and comments by Thais on Quora, they continued eating with bare hands until the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).
When the king wined and dined with European leaders, he noted how they were eating with knives, forks, and spoons. The eating process was neat without dipping their hands into the food. The king liked the idea of not eating with bare hands but didn’t want to keep knives close to the dining table.
In Thailand, knives were traditionally designed for fighting. So, this weapon was completely banished anywhere around the dining table. Even today, many Thais still don’t keep knives inside their homes. Despite liking the eating etiquette of the Europeans, King Rama V still felt that using knives for eating was strange. Of course, the possibility of people stabbing others while eating also influenced the feeling of the king. As a result of this, he decided to introduce the use of cutleries for eating but with some modifications. Therefore, Thais started using spoons and forks to eat their meals.
More practical to eat Thai meals with a fork and spoon
If you have eaten Thai meals before, you would have noticed that they are usually served in small pieces. Therefore, you don’t need to use a knife to cut the pieces before eating them. Even sausages, seafood, and other food pieces that may be large don’t need cutting. This is because they are usually cooked to be soft; hence, a spoon will do justice to cutting them.
As a consequence of this, it does not make any sense to keep a knife on your dining table when eating Thai meals. It is worthwhile to know that some Thai meals are best eaten with your hands. Again, these meals don’t need knives.
Adoption of European eating tradition to appear more civilized
According to some historians, eating with spoons and forks in Thailand could be because the ancient Thais wanted to appear more civilized. In general, the European colonial masters were taking over countries with the excuse of trying to help them to become civilized and set free the oppressed citizens. However, Thai leaders adopted numerous tactics to avoid being colonized by the European superpowers such as Britain and France, and they worked.
Given this, the ancient Thais adopted various traditions of European nations to appear more civilized. Therefore, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) believed that eating with utensils was more civilized than eating with bare hands. Afterward, he introduced eating with cutleries to his people. Although it was slightly modified, Thais copied the Western way of eating to look more civilized and avoid colonization.
Some essential tips for eating with spoon and fork in Thailand
So, when you are in Thailand, you are bound to eat with a spoon and fork. In fact, when in a restaurant, these are the cutleries that will come with your meal. As stated on Trip Savvy, these are the essential things you need to know about using a spoon and fork in the Land of Smiles.
- Hold the cutleries properly
To eat with a spoon and fork in Thailand, the spoon should be held with your right hand while the fork is kept in your left hand. This allows you to eat the food appropriately without any challenge.
- Eat with the spoon, not fork
If you are used to Western eating etiquette, you will likely eat with the fork. But this is wrong in Thailand as the people usually eat with the spoon in the right hand. The main purpose of the fork is for manipulating the food inside your place. This means that you should just utilize the fork to move food into the spoon.
- Don’t put the fork in your mouth except necessary
Since the fork is only meant for manipulating food, you are not expected to put the fork in your mouth when eating in Thailand. In other words, only the spoon should enter your mouth in most cases.
However, if you want to eat chunks of fruits and other things that are not combined with rice, you can use only a fork.
- Eat with your fingers in some cases
When it comes to eating sticky rice and other related meals, you don’t need to use a spoon and fork. You can use your fingers for scooping the food. However, eating with the left hand is considered to be a poor habit in Thailand. Therefore, you should always use your right hand.
This article has successfully shown you why people eat with spoons and forks in Thailand.
