Why do Thais like to eat on the floor?

[Strangebrew]

Eaiser to catch snacks as they scurry by. next

[cooked]

The most obvious, natural place in the world to sit is, ... wait for it... on the floor!

In our part of Isaan the food is placed on the wooden platform that everyone has and people sit on the platform as well they can. They also sleep on the platform, prepare food and nurse babies there. We have a merit ceremony tomorrow and there are, I think, 6 of these platforms in a row, four of which are borrowed. If there is a lot of food people will have no problem with sitting on the ground.

We usually cook ourselves when we go on a journey with other family members (many Thais hate street food, especially rice farmers that know what good rice is) and this means we sit on the floor in the hotel bedroom.

We have a nice dining table but usually you finish up on the floor as all junk gets dumped on there.

 

[thairastawoman]

Even the rich look like to look like the poor thqt they gossip qnd have the same ridiculous habits. Amazing. How uncomfortable to eat on the floor, and dirty also.

[Saan]

Why do Thais like to eat on the floor?

 

Thais like to eat on the floor, because their ancestors fell out of the trees a lot later than ours did. 

Its is covered in Darwin's theory of evolution.

With your 'civilised' attitude I imagine your ancestors only recently vacated their leafy lodgings.

[Costas2008]

I never saw any Thai eating on the floor, neither my wife nor her friends, not my staff.....

I think, I have to invite you, to come and spend a weekend with me, in Issan.

[Krataiboy]

. . . they bring me a chair to sit, but I feel uncomfortable sitting on top of their heads, so I prefer to suffer.

 

Time cures everything.

[Costas2008]

Silly boy, it's obvious why, they never had tables and chairs. Even if you go to a restraint, often they will sit cross legged on chairs. my solution for you is to get a small bench seat made, as wide as your ass, but only about 150mm high, this will make it easy for you to sit comfortably. I guess you must have had a childhood where you never went on a picnic, unless in a park where tables and chairs were provided....  There was life before tables and chairs, I guess your next question will be why don't they eat with knives and forks, but choose either chop sticks or a fork and spoon...seems you need a lesson in Thai culture.

Sorry Rorri, I'm toooooooo young to know about life, before tables and chairs.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion.

[Tony125]

Its a cultural thing not about being from Issan or having tables or chairs. If you can't sit on floor because of physical problem then sit in chair they will understand. Have been to restaurants in BKK and elsewhere and seen  those flexible enough still sit on chairs with legs crossed !

Since I am from USA sometimes when visiting   wife's relatives they would bring out a chair for me but I would tell them not necessary except when I injured my knee in a fall then used hair whn visiting/eating and they understood why.

I of course have tables and chairs sllep sofa beds in my 3 bedroom home in Chon Buri but if a lot of frinds relatives come over everyone gathers around (very large) front room to eat on floor together.

Hek in USA its hard to even get whole family around the table for dinner.

[Nemesis7]

It's a Custom

[laobali]

. . . they bring me a chair to sit, but I feel uncomfortable sitting on top of their heads, so I prefer to suffer.

 

Time cures everything.

 

Except old joints that aren't used to being flexed in unfamiliar ways. If you want to fit in with local traditional culture you will have to "come down to their level" – in many ways.
 

[louse1953]

 

My BF didn't own a mattress until he was 23.

Yes, but ask him now to sleep on the floor, and I bet you he will not be able to close an eyelid all night.

 

Not in my experience,missus still sleeps on the floor where the tiles are cooler.

[lucifer666]

It's not only when eating. Many neighbours of mine will sit like this when drinking whisky. I had always assumed it was because they had less distance to fall when drunk.

[Costas2008]

 

 

My BF didn't own a mattress until he was 23.

Yes, but ask him now to sleep on the floor, and I bet you he will not be able to close an eyelid all night.

 

Not in my experience,missus still sleeps on the floor where the tiles are cooler.

 

I would question, her motive, as to why she sleeps on the floor.

1. Please check, how many decibels, your snoring produce.

2. Check if she has enough space to sleep on the bed after you taking over the whole bed

3. Check the odour of your armpits.

4. Check the odour and loudness of your gas emissions.

 

If all 4 are OK, then she finds the tiles cooler.

[joshstiles]

...cavemen ate on the floor....I guess it's an 'ancestor thing'.....culture is a hard thing to change

[KhnomKhnom]

Living with basic Thai family for years, I wondered about the floor eating.  At first, I bought a dozen plastic chairs only to find them nested and all stacked up on porch.  The matching table went to the kitchen for stand up food preparation work.

 

If a people are comfortable eating sitting on floor, that is a satisfying part of their culture.  To ask why is a waste of time.

 

Get a thick cushion to sit on, one that lets your legs be lower than your hips, and that will help lots.  Same for sitting meditation.

 

At least, foreigner, the family usually gives you "first dip" or best slice and first.  Nice.

[herb59]

reasons: the way from mouth to the ground is shorter and evolution not finished.

not possible in an office, as the desks are to high to reach.

[louse1953]

When they fly do they use the fold down tray or sit on the floor? Please...if they have a table why not use it?
They ALL have smartphones! This is not two thousand years ago.

Why do we have to conform to your way of out dated thinking.Thats the way they like it and what harm does it do to you.If you cant handle it they will gladly get you a chair.They will accommodate you but you will not return the generosity.They will even make a meal with no chillis just for you.Not very sporting of you old chap.

[louse1953]

Good answers, Thank you.

One thing that I can't understand is that in Thai culture, you are not allowed to point your feet at somebody else.

But sitting down, everybody is very near to somebody else's feet.

Also not a very nice site to look at another's feet while you are eating.

I rekon that pointed feet thing is nearly gone as a no no in cultural circles but no touching head is still in.

[Crazy chef 1]

i think it is a social thing.for westerners is eating mostly the consumation of nutrition. for Thais it is asocial act.when you sit at a table there is always something inbetween you and the other guys around.this will not happened sitting at the floor.for example my wife eats always at the table at home if we are alone but in the moment friends or family are comming around-straight to the floor.

[krisb]

 

Tables and chairs cost money

Please read the OP, before you reply.

They all have tables and chairs.

 

 

Costas, not one single family I know in my wifes village have table and chairs to eat at.

 

None.

 

Franky Bear is right. In deep Issan, no one would spend money on a dinner table and chairs.

They either don't have the money, or just would never buy furniture like that.

[louse1953]

 

 

 

My BF didn't own a mattress until he was 23.

Yes, but ask him now to sleep on the floor, and I bet you he will not be able to close an eyelid all night.

 

Not in my experience,missus still sleeps on the floor where the tiles are cooler.

 

I would question, her motive, as to why she sleeps on the floor.

1. Please check, how many decibels, your snoring produce.

2. Check if she has enough space to sleep on the bed after you taking over the whole bed

3. Check the odour of your armpits.

4. Check the odour and loudness of your gas emissions.

 

If all 4 are OK, then she finds the tiles cooler.

 

We both snore,and it lets me get a good night sleep without arm slapping and grinding teeth.Number 4 is a yes.When we sleep in a cold country she likes to cuddle so all is well.After a long time together you tolerate each others imperfections.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Farting and snoring is not an imperfection.

[louse1953]

i think it is a social thing.for westerners is eating mostly the consumation of nutrition. for Thais it is asocial act.when you sit at a table there is always something inbetween you and the other guys around.this will not happened sitting at the floor.for example my wife eats always at the table at home if we are alone but in the moment friends or family are comming around-straight to the floor.

Rare you will find a Thai eating alone,so it is a social thing.Back in the 70's,travelling alone,Thais would ask to eat with me because i had no friends.That was the start of my liking of Thailand and its people.Forced me to speak Thai as well.Even got a coupla invites back home.

[Costas2008]

 

 

Tables and chairs cost money

Please read the OP, before you reply.

They all have tables and chairs.

 

 

Costas, not one single family I know in my wifes village have table and chairs to eat at.

 

None.

 

Franky Bear is right. In deep Issan, no one would spend money on a dinner table and chairs.

They either don't have the money, or just would never buy furniture like that.

 

kris, first, I would like to welcome your answer to my thread.

Your absence has been noted on my other threads.

After the (Ena, Dio, Tria, Eklase I Maria) you disappeared.

 

Second, that was a personal observation, in the houses I've been in the surround area of my home.

I believe you are right with what you are saying as proper wooden furniture are expensive.

But you could buy with 450Baht a tin table and 75Baht for each plastic chair.

Everybody has got them.

Now, it wouldn't be wrong if you invite 2 people to use one of them, even without any tablecloth.

For bigger gatherings, I do understand the sitting down arrangement.

Anyway, recently I do avoid these invitations, as I stopped enjoying the siting arrangements.

I go back home and my back hurts.

[krisb]

 

 

 

Tables and chairs cost money

Please read the OP, before you reply.

They all have tables and chairs.

 

 

Costas, not one single family I know in my wifes village have table and chairs to eat at.

 

None.

 

Franky Bear is right. In deep Issan, no one would spend money on a dinner table and chairs.

They either don't have the money, or just would never buy furniture like that.

 

kris, first, I would like to welcome your answer to my thread.

Your absence has been noted on my other threads.

After the (Ena, Dio, Tria, Eklase I Maria) you disappeared.

 

Second, that was a personal observation, in the houses I've been in the surround area of my home.

I believe you are right with what you are saying as proper wooden furniture are expensive.

But you could buy with 450Baht a tin table and 75Baht for each plastic chair.

Everybody has got them.

Now, it wouldn't be wrong if you invite 2 people to use one of them, even without any tablecloth.

For bigger gatherings, I do understand the sitting down arrangement.

Anyway, recently I do avoid these invitations, as I stopped enjoying the siting arrangements.

I go back home and my back hurts.

 

 

You can always tell an Issan girl,

she has dry skin on her ankle bones from eating on the floor.

 

I agree, you can get a cheap table and chairs. It makes no difference to real Issan folk.

 

I don't get how they can sleep upstairs and not even have ceilings in their houses?

 

 

 

[bdenner]

To the OP

I have not read all the responses nor am I going to. BUT:-

 

You have been polluting this site, for what seems an eon, with your crap and you still cannot get a grip on the culture you have involved yourself in!

 

Get a life!

[seajae]

not so far to pick up the food you drop, makes the 5 second rule a lot easier

[Costas2008]

 

 

 

Hey kris, just for you to know, this Ena Dio Tria, has been taken from the English rhyme, that my kids used to sing to me when young.

 

Titsalina Bumsquirt Big Banana feet
Went to the cinema and fell thru the seat.
When the picture started,
Titsalina farted.
Titsalina Bumsquirt Big Banana feet!

[Costas2008]

To the OP

I have not read all the responses nor am I going to. BUT:-

 

You have been polluting this site, for what seems an eon, with your crap and you still cannot get a grip on the culture you have involved yourself in!

 

Get a life!

Mr Bdenner,

Thank you very much for your kind remarks.

In the future, in order to avoid any nauseating comments from me, I beg of you, go to your profile, click on Manage Ignore prefs and then add Costas 2008, in users I'm ignoring.

Please do not forget to save changes.

In the meantime, I will be doing the same for your username.

Have a happy life

Edited August 14, 2014 by Costas2008

[robert888d]

Why don't you just ask them....Why do you prefer to eat siiting on the floor rather than usng the tables and chairs...or is that too simple ?

Edited August 14, 2014 by metisdead
Unnecessary usage of bold font removed.