Do Many Thais Object To Beef?

[Jet Gorgon]

God wouldn't have made it taste so good if he didn't want us to eat it!

That's why the gods gave us incisors and canine teeth, and nails that I can grow long and sharpen into talons, if that be my whim. I am an omnivore.

Last time I checked, my dogs' incisors were much smaller than mine, although their canine ivories were much bigger. I believe the main difference in our eating habits is etiquette and the ability to shred raw meat.

I have been forced to share the dining table with many a vegan/vegetarian whose table manners fell below the standup routine of my dogs. My dogs were not open-mouthed, uncouth, whining slobs.

Complaining about other people's habits creates stress. Stress creates most illnesses, IMHO, so focus on your own well-being and being kind to others, unless you want to rant to 6.5 plus bil people. Oh, new career line: evangelistic environmental preachers.

How long now that some fruit and veg have had e-coli? Do I have to wait for a mango to drop off the tree before I can eat it, in case it gets traumatised when I pick it and then it transfers its mental anguish to me? What next. No wonder you people need so many extra supplements.

I suggest you veg types stick to what you want and leave us omnis alone. That's the world, compromise and acceptance of the difference in others.

Now, off to my smokes and my steak.

[Ijustwannateach]

Let's not have this thread become a vegetarian vs. meat-eating thread. Please stick with the topic, which is Thai-related (i.e., do most Thais object to beef, not meat in general). So far the replies have been very illuminating; many thanks to everyone!

[Jet Gorgon]

Let's not have this thread become a vegetarian vs. meat-eating thread. Please stick with the topic, which is Thai-related (i.e., do most Thais object to beef, not meat in general). So far the replies have been very illuminating; many thanks to everyone!

Sorry, Teach. Sidetracked by a vegetable plot.

[sabaijai]

Most of my wifes family don't eat beef, on semi-religous grounds, she's not Chinese and this for them really does go back to Hindu/Indian religous practices, although she's from the middle of Issan so not sure where they got them from.

I'd be curious to know how it goes back to Hindu/Indian religious practices, for them.

[sabaijai]

The Chinese Woman you are referring to is Kuan Im or a female reincarnation of Buddha. Many Thai Chinese worship this Female Buddha image. You can see depictions of her as a standing Female Buddha image dressed in white clothes. Families that worship this Buddha figure do not eat beef. Many will not eat large animals or will sparingly eat meat of large animals.

This has nothing to do with Hindi belief - I think...

My wife says it's the particular "Buddha" she worships (a chinese woman) that has to do with her not eating beef.

Not an incarnation of Buddha.

[sbk]

Our cook doesn't eat beef, thinks it smells funny and doesn't like the taste.

Nothing religious to it at all, in her case. Just doesn't like it.

I think it has more to do with the quality of beef she has been exposed to, rather than a severe dislike.

[Austhaied]

Most of my wifes family don't eat beef, on semi-religous grounds, she's not Chinese and this for them really does go back to Hindu/Indian religous practices, although she's from the middle of Issan so not sure where they got them from.

I'd be curious to know how it goes back to Hindu/Indian religious practices, for them.

Considering the Khmer-Mon influences around that area in the 1100-1300 AD period were mainly Hindu in origins, i would say it's most likely to have washed over from those beliefs.. Maybe.

[johnh101]

My wife says it's the particular "Buddha" she worships (a chinese woman) that has to do with her not eating beef.

My ex-g/f used to say the same thing

Not exactly a 'Chinese woman' but Kuan Yin (known in Thai as Jao Mae Kuan Im), the Mahayana Buddhist goddess of mercy. This deity is worshipped by many Thai Chinese, some of who choose not to eat beef as a way of paying respect to Kuan Yin. Thais with no Chinese ancestry typically do not avoid beef although it's one of the more expensive meats in Thailand, so is eaten less frequently than pork, duck or chicken.

Nothing at all to do with Hindu beliefs, in Thailand at least.

I always thoght that Kuan Yin was the Chinese Goddess of Compassion and that she is duplicated in the Hindu religion by the Goddess "Tara". My wifeis neither Chinese or Hindi, she classes herself as Thai / Thai. Yet still she does not eat Beef out of respect for Kuan Yin. The other thing she says is that in Buddhism you should never eat an animal larger than yourself.

Edited March 19, 2007 by johnh101

[Guest RealEstateBroker]

Cool info, guys, thanks!

I go to my small village outside of Korat at least every month (god I wish I were there now)

and always stop at tesco in Korat for a major shopping event. I buy a lot of beef as well as a

lot of everything. Maybe they don't know what they are eating (joking) but the bbq beef seems to

go as quickly as everything else..I am the only farang almost ever in this village so maybe

its all the booze they drink first...they REALLY like heineken over ice.

Also, in Bangkok I really like the Oishi Japanese buffets, take a look at the counter where the

beef steaks orders are placed, all the thai hi sos (sp) can't get enough.

my point....none really, just interesting at least to me.

[Cuban]

To her beef and buffalo are the same. I don't think it's a religious thing because she has no objections about cooking beef for me. She just tells me that the Thai people owe a lot to the buffalo and she feels bad when they are killed for food that we don't really need. Her family has no problems eating beef.

Two points I just wanted to add, one of the Thai kings way back told his people not to eat "cattle" (general buffalo etc) as these were the tools of rice farming and if eaten just prior to the rice planting season people can't plough the fields enough.

I understand that "real" buddists believe that an animal's death for food needs to be passed through 7 people's hands before the bad karma of the death is dispelled (!) from the food. Also a cow will feed many people so disperse the negative karma where as a chicken will feed fewer people. (Although I've not seen people avoid chicken based on this argument, it appears to me that they pick and choose the foods that bhudda allows based almost on whim.)

I think the local cattle feed will affect the smell of the local meat, maybe why there are areas where the beef smells a bit suspect, or the local practice of hanging meat does not allow it to develop the taste.

[sabaijai]

My wife says it's the particular "Buddha" she worships (a chinese woman) that has to do with her not eating beef.

My ex-g/f used to say the same thing

Not exactly a 'Chinese woman' but Kuan Yin (known in Thai as Jao Mae Kuan Im), the Mahayana Buddhist goddess of mercy. This deity is worshipped by many Thai Chinese, some of who choose not to eat beef as a way of paying respect to Kuan Yin. Thais with no Chinese ancestry typically do not avoid beef although it's one of the more expensive meats in Thailand, so is eaten less frequently than pork, duck or chicken.

Nothing at all to do with Hindu beliefs, in Thailand at least.

I always thoght that Kuan Yin was the Chinese Goddess of Compassion and that she is duplicated in the Hindu religion by the Goddess "Tara". My wifeis neither Chinese or Hindi, she classes herself as Thai / Thai. Yet still she does not eat Beef out of respect for Kuan Yin. The other thing she says is that in Buddhism you should never eat an animal larger than yourself.

Tara is a Buddhist, not Hindu goddess. I don't think there's much evidence for a historical relation with Kuan Yin.

Although the Kuan Yin cult is predominantly Chinese, many non-Chinese Thai also become Kuan Yin devotees.

[RamdomChances]

I know quite a few Thais that wont eat beef, but by no means the majority. The reasons vary from just not liking it, it smells, they have high cholestorol to it's bad luck. I have'nt really expanded on the "bad luck" reasons could well be as sabaijau states, being in Nakhon Sawan they are mostly chineese/thai.

You can get some good Thai beef these days charolais/bhraman crosses.

[Ijustwannateach]

Thanks again, everyone!

I occasionally serve spaghetti with meatballs (ground beef) at home. The last three of my Thai friends who tried it eagerly wolfed down the noodles and sauce, but once they found out the meatballs were beef they left them all for me. That's what provoked my question, mainly. Lots more interesting info here, though!