Using Toothpick In Public, Don'T You Think Its Ugly?

[NewlyMintedThai]

Of course it's disgusting, should be done in private, not in front of others even hidden by the other hand...

We do not do this in public in Europe.

Why do so many Europeans in Thailand do it, then?

[elwood]

Of course it's disgusting, should be done in private, not in front of others even hidden by the other hand...

We do not do this in public in Europe.

So Italy, France, Spain, Malta, to mention a few, are not in Europe?

[Naam]

Of course it's disgusting, should be done in private, not in front of others even hidden by the other hand...

We do not do this in public in Europe.

because the toothpicks on the tables in European restaurants are for decoration purposes only

[frankxxxxxxxxxx]

Having lived 40 years in different EU countries I haven't seen as many people picking their teeth in front of everybody as much as in few years here, but sure you must be right guys...

EU is not Albania nor Senegal, you know ?

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[pattayadingo]

i would rather watch them pick their teeth than see them with their finger up their nose.

Or as in the OP's case, walking around with lettuce leaves clinging to his teeth like mould while at the same time having his finger up his ass.

Reminds me a bit of a Monty Python walk.

[wayned]

So there was this bartender, and he was closing up shop one night. As he is cleaning the glasses and tables, he hears this knock on the back door. He goes to see who it was, and a homeless guy was there. "Can I please have a toothpick?" said the homeless man.

The bartender was confused, but gave him a toothpick. So he gets back to cleaning up the bar, and after about 10 minutes he hears another knock on the back door. He goes to see who it was, and a second homeless guy was there. He also asked for a toothpick, and the confused bartender gave him one.

Going back to his cleaning, he hears another knock on the door after another 10 minutes. He finds a third homeless guy out there, and says, "let me guess... you want a toothpick?" "No" said the guy, "Can I have a straw?"

The bartender has had enough of wondering what what going on, so he says, "Why?" the homeless guy replies, "Well, somebody puked in the alley, and all the chunks are gone"

[hands22]

Although picking one's teeth with a toothpick after meal is a very common practice here in Asia, also in Singapore where I live, I always look away when my fellow diners do that. Covering their mouth or not, I would actually prefer that they wait a little and do it in the privacy of their bathroom.

[Kwasaki]

In addition to picking my teeth, I also frequently scrape earwax with my house key.

Yes me too, and also blow my nose on the serviette, I like the cloth ones best.

In some Arab countries it's impolite not to burp after meals.

[wellred]

I actually wonder why they don't do this more in the west. It's more cleaner than just washing it down with a glass of water.

When I first came to Thailand I did wonder if it was ok to do it in public but the GF done it and they put them out on the table so I thought wth.

Of course it's disgusting, should be done in private, not in front of others even hidden by the other hand...

We do not do this in public in Europe.

One could say it's disgusting how in Europe after taking a dump one wipes their rear end with a dry piece of toilet roll where as in Thailand it's blasted clean with a hose. Let me ask you if you got excrement on your hand would you wash it or just wipe it dry with some paper?

Things are not always greener on the other side my friend.

Edited February 12, 2012 by wellred

[DLock]

Using toothpicks is fine with me.

I'd rather that than sitting next to someone on a plane who uses their tongue and makes sucking noises trying to dislodge food particles for the entire flight. Not being racist, but it is more often than not an elderly Chinese gentleman.

Now that's annoying.

[SlyAnimal]

Oh wow I'm surprised there aren't more posts calling the original poster a troll lol. I was sure he was trolling, as it's a pretty standard thing where I'm from, I'm definitely not offended by it (although I do think the whole hand over the mouth looks akward and strange lol i always manage to pick my teeth with my mouth closed)

But yeah if you're offended, didims you should toughen up if you want to live in Asia (If toothpicks in public are disgusting, I'd really love to see the look on your face if you were busting for the loo with only an Asian squat, non flush toilet equipped with just a bucket of water not toilet paper lol)

[maxme]

What a remarkable topic you guys have picked