8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Hmm... yes, you don't strike me as the seppuku type. More the sort whose hara-kiri involves accidentally falling onto someone else's sword while insisting it wasn't what it looked like.... 🤫

I can only presume you have read a few books by Yukio Mishima, speaking of swords, knives and such.

30 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I can only presume you have read a few books by Yukio Mishima, speaking of swords, knives and such.

Your Mishimaesque bushidō seems misunderstood - Traditionally it's your own sword you'd fall on - The one you're after is more readily found in Ni-chōme....

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Your Mishimaesque bushidō seems misunderstood - Traditionally it's your own sword you'd fall on - The one you're after is more readily found in Ni-chōme....

Actually, what is really required, and most often used, is a trusty assistant to rapidly finish one off before the pain becomes too great.

You begin by forking yourself with a few pinpricks to the belly, and then, once you have drawn droplets of blood around your bellybutton, ...

Your assistant walks quickly up from behind with his sword, and then...

Off with your Head...!

Poor old Mishima, he had no such assistant.

Why do people do such things?

Why can't they just live in peace before dying a natural death, maybe in some hospice somewhere?

On 6/25/2026 at 8:37 AM, GammaGlobulin said:

Thai Forks Flimsy & Thai Meat Tough

No fork on the planet can withstand the Thai water buffalo.

Thai Forks Flimsy & Thai Meat Tough: Can you explain this oddity?

Not all restaurants set the bar that low. Try one with higher standards. A better restaurant might change your perspective... just a thought.

3 minutes ago, ravip said:

Thai Forks Flimsy & Thai Meat Tough: Can you explain this oddity?

Not all restaurants set the bar that low. Try one with higher standards. A better restaurant might change your perspective... just a thought.

But I do not use forks in restaurants.

I use forks in the kitchen, with a knife, for slicing meat.

These restaurant forks are worthless.

I must therefore fall back on the only two decent forks I have in my house, which are stainless steel, and purchased years ago at 7-11 in Chiang Mai.

Edited June 29Jun 29 by GammaGlobulin

8 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

But I do not use forks in restaurants.

I use forks in the kitchen, with a knife, for slicing meat.

These restaurant forks are worthless.

I must therefore fall back on the only two decent forks I have in my house, which are stainless steel, and purchased years ago at 7-11 in Chiang Mai.

Give these a try and see how it works out.

https://www.central.co.th/en/wmf-cutlery-set-30-pcs-premiere-cromargan-protect-cds26261980

8 minutes ago, ravip said:

Give these a try and see how it works out.

https://www.central.co.th/en/wmf-cutlery-set-30-pcs-premiere-cromargan-protect-cds26261980

Those are very nice.

Nice and expensive.

The price boils down to about what, Bt.600 per fork?

Do TV Members really pay Bt.600 per spoon, or per fork?

Also, if purchased separately, piece by piece, I bet the price would be more like Bt.1000 per spoon or fork.

In this case, it might be better just to buy interesting random heirloom designs of Sterling Silver from thrift shops.

First, I could find much more beautiful random designs.

Second, it would give me something to polish.

21 minutes ago, ravip said:

Give these a try and see how it works out.

https://www.central.co.th/en/wmf-cutlery-set-30-pcs-premiere-cromargan-protect-cds26261980

I guess the steel is not sub-par, thankfully.

What is 18/10 steel, anyway?

26 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Those are very nice.

Nice and expensive.

The price boils down to about what, Bt.600 per fork?

Do TV Members really pay Bt.600 per spoon, or per fork?

Also, if purchased separately, piece by piece, I bet the price would be more like Bt.1000 per spoon or fork.

In this case, it might be better just to buy interesting random heirloom designs of Sterling Silver from thrift shops.

First, I could find much more beautiful random designs.

Second, it would give me something to polish.

You were the one complaining about the quality of cutlery in Thailand in your original post. I merely pointed you in the direction of somewhere that might meet your rather exacting standards. You're welcome.

The price boils down to about what, Bt.600 per fork?

Is that too expensive for you?

Do TV Members really pay Bt.600 per spoon, or per fork?

Most of us complain about a 20 ฿ increase in price. But you are an exception, aren't you?

You also could try here >>> https://thaisilverware.com/

Edited June 29Jun 29 by ravip

16 minutes ago, ravip said:

You were the one complaining about the quality of cutlery in Thailand in your original post. I merely pointed you in the direction of somewhere that might meet your rather exacting standards. You're welcome.

The price boils down to about what, Bt.600 per fork?

Is that too expensive for you?

Do TV Members really pay Bt.600 per spoon, or per fork?

Most of us complain about a 20 ฿ increase in price. But you are an exception, aren't you?

You also could try here >>> https://thaisilverware.com/

I am definitely not complaining about the quality of the cutlery you first linked.

But I do think that Bt.600 per fork is too much to pay, and the markup must be immense.

Seems to me that these forks are like GUCCI handbags for women.

The bags cost about USD20 to make, and then sell for USD2000

I am no sucker for such foolery.

Originally, I thought the stainless steel forks and spoons I purchased years ago at 7 were expensive at about Bt.200 per piece.

Now that they are no longer being sold, I guess I should have bought more at the time.

I recently bought 10 forks and spoons from Makro, but they are just half finished with sharp edges, not polished, and also not strong.

I wish I had brought spoons, forks and knives last time I returned to Asia from the USA, in 1992, when Bill Clinton was elected.

I think I will not buy stuff from Thai Silverware, thank you.

17 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I doubt I'm alone here, but I find Thai desserts pretty awful.

Thai food itself is outstanding, so this is far from a criticism of Thailand (just incase anyone wanted to go down that accusatory road).

I think Thai cuisine is among some of the best in the world. But the desserts... I've never found one that I find even remotely enjoyable. They're often just far too sweet for my taste, and many have textures that simply don't appeal to me.

That said, Thailand more than makes up for it with its international desserts. There are countless cafés, bakeries and restaurants serving superb cheesecakes, chocolate cakes, gateaux, tarts, pies, pastries, croissants, éclairs, mille-feuille, tiramisu, panna cotta, crème brûlée, profiteroles, macarons, baklava, brownies, cookies, ice cream and gelato.

In that respect, we're absolutely spoilt for choice - just not in 'very Thai style Thai restaurants' !!...

I was gently poking fun.

You don't like mango sticky rice with the coconut sauce?

I think I know what you mean. Traditional desserts seem not to be based heavily on sugar. I rarely eat desserts as in the last course anyway. I'll probably grab something out of the fridge at home as and when. I do like many/ most of them but the whole mouth vibe is different to a "Western" dessert.

Crossover: passion fruit panna cotta also with coconut cream in the white bit on the top. My wife got the hang of doing panna cotta when we lived in Switzerland. Mango panna cotta works too.

When I lived in Zürich there was a Swiss baker/ cafe that made a killer cheesecake. The killer part was a passion fruit jus decorated on the top. The intense flavour woke up my tongue and cut through the "cheese".

I agree the Thai's baking game is bordering on outstanding, except when synthetic cream is used. It's also killer in Japan and China, at least in the larger cities I've visited.

2 hours ago, ravip said:

Thai Forks Flimsy & Thai Meat Tough: Can you explain this oddity?

Not all restaurants set the bar that low. Try one with higher standards. A better restaurant might change your perspective... just a thought.

Strap two forks together? Forget using a knife if you have to do that of course.

Last night we grilled some pork and some beef/ shoe leather. I tried a piece of the beef, but it refused to give. It just squashed and rebounded. I gave it to the dog and stuck with the pork.

48 minutes ago, BeastOfBodmin said:

Strap two forks together? Forget using a knife if you have to do that of course.

Last night we grilled some pork and some beef/ shoe leather. I tried a piece of the beef, but it refused to give. It just squashed and rebounded. I gave it to the dog and stuck with the pork.

In a country of over 71 million people, I'm sure they've somehow managed to come up with at least a few foods that are actually edible. Perhaps the problem isn't the country's cuisine... maybe it's your talent for choosing where to eat. Either improve your restaurant-picking /marketing skills or consider relocating to an environment more suited to your refined palate.

5 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

You begin by forking yourself with a few pinpricks to the belly, and then, once you have drawn droplets of blood around your bellybutton, ...

Your assistant walks quickly up from behind with his sword, and then...

Off with your Head...!

You're thinking of the mainland tradition. On the Island of South Okinawan Papua the ceremonial forking is simply to score the skin before applying baking soda and sea salt. The resulting crackling is, apparently, worth the extra effort.

Only the locals know that. The tourist guides leave it out.

4 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I wish I had brought spoons, forks and knives last time I returned to Asia from the USA, in 1992, when Bill Clinton was elected.

I think I will not buy stuff from Thai Silverware, thank you.

It really isn't difficult - any half decent shopping mall has a decent range of kit in its department stores even IKEA etc - just stop buying the junk from Big C and you'll do better.

5 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I must therefore fall back on the only two decent forks I have in my house, which are stainless steel, and purchased years ago at 7-11 in Chiang Mai.

Classy... Elevate yourself - try Tops !

3 hours ago, BeastOfBodmin said:

I was gently poking fun.

You don't like mango sticky rice with the coconut sauce?

I think I know what you mean. Traditional desserts seem not to be based heavily on sugar. I rarely eat desserts as in the last course anyway. I'll probably grab something out of the fridge at home as and when. I do like many/ most of them but the whole mouth vibe is different to a "Western" dessert.

Crossover: passion fruit panna cotta also with coconut cream in the white bit on the top. My wife got the hang of doing panna cotta when we lived in Switzerland. Mango panna cotta works too.

When I lived in Zürich there was a Swiss baker/ cafe that made a killer cheesecake. The killer part was a passion fruit jus decorated on the top. The intense flavour woke up my tongue and cut through the "cheese".

I agree the Thai's baking game is bordering on outstanding, except when synthetic cream is used. It's also killer in Japan and China, at least in the larger cities I've visited.

This is what I have tried to explain, myself, to these fools, but will they listen?

When I say fools, I of course mean, fools for sugar.

After living in Asia for 50 years, mostly in East Asia, how could I not know that dessert here is NOT the same as dessert in America or the UK or probably Germany, meaning the west.

When I say that dessert in China is usually fruit slices, nobody believes me.

Usually orange slices, with some not-very-sweet melon slices.

Also, after a great Thai meal, I am full. I have enjoyed the many spices used in Thai cuisine.

Why would I want to scarf down an apple pie afterwards?

They are fools, I tell you.

They are fools hoping for Type Two Diabetes.

They are gluttons, no less.

And, gluttony is a sin.

17 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Classy... Elevate yourself - try Tops !

Since coming to Asia, I have stopped being concerned with class, or the touches of class.

If I had sent my preferred silver pattern to my Asian friends before my marriage, do you think they would have understood or would they have been shocked and confused?

7 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Since coming to Asia, I have stopped being concerned with class, or the touches of class.

Thats how you find yourself complaining about sh!tty quality of beef and bendy forks.

7 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

If I had sent my preferred silver pattern to my Asian friends before my marriage, do you think they would have understood or would they have been shocked and confused?

That depends - are you implying your 'Asian' friends lack class and can't tell the difference ?

I've eaten at many many different Thai households - no household I've been to has these bendy forks you talk of.

Such flimsy cutlery only exists (in my experience) - in the open fronted, cheap 50 baht street-stall type noodle-shops where there is no AC, the plates are plastic, and you're sat on a plastic stool... Drinking water out of a metal cup etc...

Can't believe the 'fork' part of this discussion is even a discussion - the beef part - has been interesting though.

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

That depends - are you implying your 'Asian' friends lack class and can't tell the difference ?

In truth, my Mainland Chinese friends are relative barbarians compared to my HK Chinese friends, and my HK wife, of course.

These are not my words.

Decades ago, the HongKongers would laugh at their country bumpkins from the Mainland as these folk walked in the middle of roads and streets, throughout Hong Kong and Kowloon.

So, this should answer your question.

And, the guys running the gov and the CCP are uncouth, as everybody knows.

It's a hard life!