ok i was at Hang Dong Big C food park n as a tourist, i find some things puzzling...

ok the buying of the value card to buy food is no surprise to me...

but anyway when i went to order my food from a food stall, i realized there was no utensils at the foodstall. i then realized they were located somewhere else. And when i went there, i saw a boiling tray of water which i had no idea what it was. i then realized later on what it was meant for, when i saw people dipping their utensils into it to sterilize it.

so it seems the utensils that are available are unclean? that u have to sterilize it further? in my country there is no such feature in the cafeterias/food courts.

ok then i went to buy drinks, n i got a bottle of mineral water plus a cup of ice, self service. when i went to pay, the cashier then told me something like the ice is not free, i had to pay for it. hmmm....ok then. in my country when i buy mineral water or can drinks the ice comes free.

finally after i finished my meal i almost wanted to bang my head on the wall when i realized there was free water! i saw a water dispenser with cups near the coupon booth! if i had known that i wouldn't have bought the mineral water.

ok u might say 'welcome to thailand' to me.

anyway anymore tips to note when dining at food parks? please share

i saw a boiling tray of water which i had no idea what it was. i then realized later on what it was meant for, when i saw people dipping their utensils into it to sterilize it.

so it seems the utensils that are available are unclean? that u have to sterilize it further? in my country there is no such feature in the cafeterias/food courts.

...

finally after i finished my meal i almost wanted to bang my head on the wall when i realized there was free water! i saw a water dispenser with cups near the coupon booth! if i had known that i wouldn't have bought the mineral water.

ok u might say 'welcome to thailand' to me.

anyway anymore tips to note when dining at food parks? please share

its called hygiene, its a "help yourself" to utensils place, some people when taking their utensils might touch the other pieces, it that so bad?

mineral water is always more expensive than the normal water, whereever you go in thailand, the free stuff which is just normally bulk manufactred/treated is just UV treated/reverse osmosis, so no mineral content

"n" thats about it i am afraid

so it seems the utensils that are available are unclean? that u have to sterilize it further? in my country there is no such feature in the cafeterias/food courts.

Not necessarily unclean. Ive had my fair share of food court food, and usually dont get an upset stomach even in places where there is no option to sterilize the utensils. I just see it as an added service.

Mt Chinese-Thai family often clean their utensils, using the paper-napkins on the tables, while waiting for their food to arrive. I picture the reaction - if they did this in a 5-star farang hotel or restaurant - and smile.

Mt Chinese-Thai family often clean their utensils, using the paper-napkins on the tables, while waiting for their food to arrive. I picture the reaction - if they did this in a 5-star farang hotel or restaurant - and smile.

And some like to use the (lukewarm) cup of tea .

ok i was at Hang Dong Big C food park n as a tourist, i find some things puzzling...

ok the buying of the value card to buy food is no surprise to me...

but anyway when i went to order my food from a food stall, i realized there was no utensils at the foodstall. i then realized they were located somewhere else. And when i went there, i saw a boiling tray of water which i had no idea what it was. i then realized later on what it was meant for, when i saw people dipping their utensils into it to sterilize it.

so it seems the utensils that are available are unclean? that u have to sterilize it further? in my country there is no such feature in the cafeterias/food courts.

ok then i went to buy drinks, n i got a bottle of mineral water plus a cup of ice, self service. when i went to pay, the cashier then told me something like the ice is not free, i had to pay for it. hmmm....ok then. in my country when i buy mineral water or can drinks the ice comes free.

finally after i finished my meal i almost wanted to bang my head on the wall when i realized there was free water! i saw a water dispenser with cups near the coupon booth! if i had known that i wouldn't have bought the mineral water.

ok u might say 'welcome to thailand' to me.

anyway anymore tips to note when dining at food parks? please share

if you do end up trying to "bang your head against the wall" at the food park, everyone there will think youre another silly tourist that cant get with the program here.

Consider staying in "your country" whatever it is, or dining at the Oriental Dhara Thevi. I hear the Dim Sum lunch is nice.