An Americans Musings in Thailand

[StreetCowboy]

When I first visited Thailand, I too was a bit taken aback, by the foreign (to me at the time) use of cutlery. I often wondered why, there was no knife with a Thai meal... But a knife and fork were provided if you had a farang meal. I got educated by the missus, when I got around to asking her why.... She reckons, that Thai food, is prepared in a way, that all the cutting has been done, during the preparation... and the pieces should be roughly bite size... and there is no need for a knife once food is served.. As was said earlier, the spoon goes in the mouth, and the fork is used to collect and push the food into the spoon..

Kinda makes sense to me.... One example that I find very common, and although they are not exclusively Thai, are spring rolls.... They are usually cut up into 3 or 4 bite size pieces... I don't *think* I have seen , or maybe, can't remember, seeing that in the west.

It's a Chinese thing. Make dining safe by eliminating the need for weapons at the table. There's only so much injury you can do with a blunt bamboo chopstick. I think the fork'n' spoon was a misunderstanding of early Irish travellers

[StreetCowboy]

All Thais special or otherwise eat Thai food with a spoon and fork with the fork as a pusher to the spoon in the dominant hand. Chopsticks is for Chinese style food.

All Thais special or otherwise eat Thai food with a spoon and fork

As would most farang who have been here more than 3 weeks and who are eating Thai food. The food is generally prepared so that it doesn't require further cutting at table.

Chopsticks is for Chinese style food.

And for Thai noodles or most anything at MK and for Japanese food at Fuji and ...

with the fork as a pusher to the spoon

Americans would think shoving your food onto your fork with a knife in the style of the British to be rather crude. There's a reason why the Queen never wants to be photographed shoving her mushy peas into her mouth.

As if the Queen would eat mushy peas! When Her Royal Highness goes down the chippie they have to order in garden peas pronto. The "by appointment to the Royal Household" on the cans of Export are for the flunkie who has to rake down on his bike in advance with the order "Fish supper and a single haggis for Liz and Phil, garden peas, salt and vinegar, and two bottles of Moët Chandon"

[JeffreyO]

Naive wonderment is what happens when an American yokel from a provincial redneck town leaves his homeland and encounters foreign cultures. Howdy doody folks, y'all look and act funny over here.

Actually, I grew up in San Francisco and for the last two years of my life I was in New York, two of the most multicultural cities in the world but yes. I'm a yokel who knows nothing of other cultures or races. Once again your lack of wit amuses me but your utter stupidity astounds me.

[JeffreyO]

Just as a note, I never specified that people needed to cut their food. Others have come to this conclusion. Nor did I state that it was a negative that they use a spoon and a fork. I do however think that yes, when someone goes to another land they will notice differences from their own. I started this thread more or less (and I feel like a broken record at this point) as a way for people to state some of the differences from their own homelands that they could share. Since it has turned into an America bashing thread and is absolutely nowhere near the original post, I think it should simply be closed.

If you want to start a thread that says "Americans are stupid and know nothing about the world" I would be happy to respond to that thread and help you understand why you are wrong, but not on this thread. I have done everything in my power to keep it on topic and some (most) of you seem to simply lack the intelligence to maintain a half decent conversation or are so absolutely bias that you can't see past your own naive preconceptions to actually read what I've said at least a dozen times.

In a private message could some of you actually explain to me, if not a forum for discussion about Thailand for those visiting/not natives, where else should you have such a conversation? This seems to be the place but the old guard seem to have formed the good 'ol boys club and there's no one else allowed.

Have a great night everyone. I'm going to enjoy the rain with my rather nice girlfriend on my rather nice balcony that I earned with my rather nice income from my rather nice country, America. Enjoy your digs, I can only hope they're as nice as mine.

Oh, I think I saw a couple of you tonight in Nana paying 300 baht for a massage and a smile. Pathetic.

--- for those of you who have been decent and stayed on topic, i wish you nothing but the best and hope you have a great time here or wherever your travels take you.

Edited September 24, 2014 by JeffreyO

[Jingthing]

Naive wonderment is what happens when an American yokel from a provincial redneck town leaves his homeland and encounters foreign cultures. Howdy doody folks, y'all look and act funny over here.

Actually, I grew up in San Francisco and for the last two years of my life I was in New York, two of the most multicultural cities in the world but yes. I'm a yokel who knows nothing of other cultures or races. Once again your lack of wit amuses me but your utter stupidity astounds me.

Better get used to it. There is a lot of ignorant anti-Americanism in these parts from other foreigners. Typically we are considered uneducated unsophisticated morons. Usually from people who are clearly in no position to make such charges.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Um....How is the fork and spoon in Thailand any different to the knife and fork in Western countries. It's normal to be holding two utensils while eating a typical meal.

Although I do note that many Americans seem to like to cut up their food into small pieces and then discard their knife. Maybe that's where your comparison is coming from.

Yep, Americans cut their food up then eat with a fork.

PS, eating with a fork very rude in Thailand.

[StreetCowboy]

If you're so well travelled, how come you've only just noticed that the rest of the world eats with both hands?

This thread is all about naive wonderment. Next musing: did you notice they drive on the other side of the road?

Fockmee! Sotheydo. No, waitaminute. Only the motorbikes and some pickups. Most drive on the left

[sustento]

All Thais special or otherwise eat Thai food with a spoon and fork with the fork as a pusher to the spoon in the dominant hand. Chopsticks is for Chinese style food.

All Thais special or otherwise eat Thai food with a spoon and fork

As would most farang who have been here more than 3 weeks and who are eating Thai food. The food is generally prepared so that it doesn't require further cutting at table.

Chopsticks is for Chinese style food.

And for Thai noodles or most anything at MK and for Japanese food at Fuji and ...

with the fork as a pusher to the spoon

Americans would think shoving your food onto your fork with a knife in the style of the British to be rather crude. There's a reason why the Queen never wants to be photographed shoving her mushy peas into her mouth.

As if the Queen would eat mushy peas! When Her Royal Highness goes down the chippie they have to order in garden peas pronto. The "by appointment to the Royal Household" on the cans of Export are for the flunkie who has to rake down on his bike in advance with the order "Fish supper and a single haggis for Liz and Phil, garden peas, salt and vinegar, and two bottles of Moët Chandon"

Sorry but I'm not convinced. I reckon she sends the butler out for a tub of mushy and keeps them in one of her Tupperware boxes.

[tubby johnson]

Just as a note, I never specified that people needed to cut their food. Others have come to this conclusion. Nor did I state that it was a negative that they use a spoon and a fork. I do however think that yes, when someone goes to another land they will notice differences from their own. I started this thread more or less (and I feel like a broken record at this point) as a way for people to state some of the differences from their own homelands that they could share. Since it has turned into an America bashing thread and is absolutely nowhere near the original post, I think it should simply be closed.

If you want to start a thread that says "Americans are stupid and know nothing about the world" I would be happy to respond to that thread and help you understand why you are wrong, but not on this thread. I have done everything in my power to keep it on topic and some (most) of you seem to simply lack the intelligence to maintain a half decent conversation or are so absolutely bias that you can't see past your own naive preconceptions to actually read what I've said at least a dozen times.

In a private message could some of you actually explain to me, if not a forum for discussion about Thailand for those visiting/not natives, where else should you have such a conversation? This seems to be the place but the old guard seem to have formed the good 'ol boys club and there's no one else allowed.

Have a great night everyone. I'm going to enjoy the rain with my rather nice girlfriend on my rather nice balcony that I earned with my rather nice income from my rather nice country, America. Enjoy your digs, I can only hope they're as nice as mine.

Oh, I think I saw a couple of you tonight in Nana paying 300 baht for a massage and a smile. Pathetic.

--- for those of you who have been decent and stayed on topic, i wish you nothing but the best and hope you have a great time here or wherever your travels take you.

Does your rather nice girlfriend know that you spent tonight in a Nana massage parlour? Careful now, country boy, or she'll push you over the edge of your rather nice balcony if you're naughty again. She'll end up celebrating with your rather nice income and be allowed to eat with a fork and spoon again without your silly criticism.

[SoiBiker]

A balcony?

Wow!

[Loptr]

Again, I'm not trying to compare one culture to another. I'm just asking what are the things that you noticed that are slightly different to your own.

Why so many take someone as saying "This is different than what I'm accustomed to" as being "This is wrong and I'm right"?

In my home country it is unusual to see someone in public with their finger jammed into their nose all the way up to the elbow... Likewise, in Thailand it is unusual to see a car load of illegals doing a drive-by in da hood, which is common where I come from... Ah, the little differences in life make the journey worthwhile...

[Loptr]

These forums are full of threads about complaints regarding Thai police parading people in public and ignoring the law when it comes to farangs. Corruption and unfair practices. These are all okay but I say it's interesting to see people eat absolutely everything with a second utensil and now I'm Lucifer? Pathetic.

As a fellow American, there is one thing most of us lack, which is a sense of humor... Especially when someone is taking the piss out of you... The other members are just winding you up, but you could come down off your pedestal before you fall and break something...

[maxman71]

Who cares if Thais use a spoon and fork??? If the food is good (and it almost always is), I'll eat it any damn way I please; including just using my hands, although I tend to prefer chopsticks. And I am an American.

What Thais find amusing about me is I'll gnaw on the bones of anything I eat and get every last morsel off the bones. I was taught that way by my mother as when I was a kid at the dinner table, she used to admonish us to not leave anything on our plates as there were people starving in Europe...

[xen]

These forums are full of threads about complaints regarding Thai police parading people in public and ignoring the law when it comes to farangs. Corruption and unfair practices. These are all okay but I say it's interesting to see people eat absolutely everything with a second utensil and now I'm Lucifer? Pathetic.

As a fellow American, there is one thing most of us lack, which is a sense of humor... Especially when someone is taking the piss out of you... The other members are just winding you up, but you could come down off your pedestal before you fall and break something...

Actually you have been a good sport. One of the funniest threads in a while. In no time at all you look back on this thread and laugh too.

Welcome to LOS.

[pitchag]

Um....How is the fork and spoon in Thailand any different to the knife and fork in Western countries. It's normal to be holding two utensils while eating a typical meal.

Although I do note that many Americans seem to like to cut up their food into small pieces and then discard their knife. Maybe that's where your comparison is coming from.

Americans use a fork and knife only when cutting. For example, when eating a steak. If we are eating pasta we're not scooping it into a spoon using a fork and then eating it from a fork.

Nor do we use a fork and chop sticks to gather noodles or rice. The special lady friend was using a fork and spoon last night to eat rice, which I found particularly interesting.

Whereas in most other English and Western cultures, we hold a knife and fork all the time while eating a typical meal and cutting the portion you are about to eat. Have you not seen this happen in your travels?

Thais eat with a spoon and fork and usually only use chop sticks for the noodles, A Thai once told me " anyone who brings a knife to the dinner table is a savage

The Thais think it's funny when they see a westerner eating Thai food with only a fork - especially rice.

It's just cultural differences. Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis would never think of cutting up a steak into small pieces before eating it as the Americans do.

[thailiketoo]

It's just cultural differences. Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis would never think of cutting up a steak into small pieces before eating it as the Americans do.

I don't know what you are on about. Below is an American eating steak.

[samran]

It's just cultural differences. Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis would never think of cutting up a steak into small pieces before eating it as the Americans do.

I don't know what you are on about. Below is an American eating steak.

Can't open it, but basically I've noticed Americans will hold their knife in the preferred (usually right) hand to cut their meat and fork in the left. They'll then transfer the fork to the right hand and put down the knife to eat.

The rest of us? Cut with right, fork in left. When eating, knife stays in right and we for it up and eat with left.

[thailiketoo]

It's just cultural differences. Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis would never think of cutting up a steak into small pieces before eating it as the Americans do.

I don't know what you are on about. Below is an American eating steak.

Can't open it, but basically I've noticed Americans will hold their knife in the preferred (usually right) hand to cut their meat and fork in the left. They'll then transfer the fork to the right hand and put down the knife to eat.

The rest of us? Cut with right, fork in left. When eating, knife stays in right and we for it up and eat with left.

Many Americans who have traveled or lived in other countries don't. I don't. Not all Americans cut up everything before starting to eat. Most Americans can eat with chopsticks. America has large Asian and Hispanic populations. Because a few rednecks eat one way does not mean the whole country eats that way.

[Gecko123]

Who cares if Thais use a spoon and fork??? If the food is good (and it almost always is), I'll eat it any damn way I please; including just using my hands, although I tend to prefer chopsticks. And I am an American.

What Thais find amusing about me is I'll gnaw on the bones of anything I eat and get every last morsel off the bones. I was taught that way by my mother as when I was a kid at the dinner table, she used to admonish us to not leave anything on our plates as there were people starving in Europe...

I've been known to tell my Thai step-daughter to not waste food because there are people who go hungry every night in America.

[samran]

It's just cultural differences. Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis would never think of cutting up a steak into small pieces before eating it as the Americans do.

I don't know what you are on about. Below is an American eating steak.

Can't open it, but basically I've noticed Americans will hold their knife in the preferred (usually right) hand to cut their meat and fork in the left. They'll then transfer the fork to the right hand and put down the knife to eat.

The rest of us? Cut with right, fork in left. When eating, knife stays in right and we for it up and eat with left.

Many Americans who have traveled or lived in other countries don't. I don't. Not all Americans cut up everything before starting to eat. Most Americans can eat with chopsticks. America has large Asian and Hispanic populations. Because a few rednecks eat one way does not mean the whole country eats that way.

Wasn't trying to say every American was like this, nor knew this was a red neck thing. Just an observation I made to a country I've visited a few times.

[thailiketoo]

Can't open it, but basically I've noticed Americans will hold their knife in the preferred (usually right) hand to cut their meat and fork in the left. They'll then transfer the fork to the right hand and put down the knife to eat.

The rest of us? Cut with right, fork in left. When eating, knife stays in right and we for it up and eat with left.

Many Americans who have traveled or lived in other countries don't. I don't. Not all Americans cut up everything before starting to eat. Most Americans can eat with chopsticks. America has large Asian and Hispanic populations. Because a few rednecks eat one way does not mean the whole country eats that way.

Wasn't trying to say every American was like this, nor knew this was a red neck thing. Just an observation I made to a country I've visited a few times.

I guess I've lived outside of the country for so long I'm out of touch. The Americans I know all eat like Europeans except when using chopsticks or spoon and fork.

Edited September 25, 2014 by thailiketoo

[rgs2001uk]

It's just cultural differences. Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis would never think of cutting up a steak into small pieces before eating it as the Americans do.

I don't know what you are on about. Below is an American eating steak.

Can't open it, but basically I've noticed Americans will hold their knife in the preferred (usually right) hand to cut their meat and fork in the left. They'll then transfer the fork to the right hand and put down the knife to eat.

The rest of us? Cut with right, fork in left. When eating, knife stays in right and we for it up and eat with left.

Sounds a bit like my mrs does for the kids, cuts their food for them.

They then eat with the LH fork and put the food into their mouth.

Must admit when I ever visited good ole USA, never saw too many Hispanics using chopsticks..

Must be my fault i only ever visited good ole boy states such as, NM, Texas, Georgia, Alabama etc etc.

Not being a Royalist I have no idea how the high n mighty eat.

[JeffreyO]

In general, we only cut steaks or filet's of meat with knives. However yes, we use your let hands for holding the fork and the right hand for the knife to slice through these items. The left hand should then stab the item and serve it to us.

Actually, I'm hugely confused (or trolled) by the idiot who said forks are rude to eat with in Thailand. 3 thai friends have told me you're full of shit so, I guess, suck my left nut? I've got two, if I'm wrong suck my right.

[JeffreyO]

It's just cultural differences. Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis would never think of cutting up a steak into small pieces before eating it as the Americans do.

I don't know what you are on about. Below is an American eating steak.

Can't open it, but basically I've noticed Americans will hold their knife in the preferred (usually right) hand to cut their meat and fork in the left. They'll then transfer the fork to the right hand and put down the knife to eat.

The rest of us? Cut with right, fork in left. When eating, knife stays in right and we for it up and eat with left.

Sounds a bit like my mrs does for the kids, cuts their food for them.

They then eat with the LH fork and put the food into their mouth.

Must admit when I ever visited good ole USA, never saw too many Hispanics using chopsticks..

Must be my fault i only ever visited good ole boy states such as, NM, Texas, Georgia, Alabama etc etc.

Not being a Royalist I have no idea how the high n mighty eat.

Eat as the queen eats, mate. You'll understand better. No one more mocked in India than the English when they push their hands into their food and push it against their mouth to mock eating like a Brit. Great job, mate.

[sustento]

Eat as the queen eats, mate. You'll understand better. No one more mocked in India than the English when they push their hands into their food and push it against their mouth to mock eating like a Brit. Great job, mate.

You'll have to do better than that if you want to join the 'take the piss' brigade

[samran]

It's just cultural differences. Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis would never think of cutting up a steak into small pieces before eating it as the Americans do.

I don't know what you are on about. Below is an American eating steak.

Can't open it, but basically I've noticed Americans will hold their knife in the preferred (usually right) hand to cut their meat and fork in the left. They'll then transfer the fork to the right hand and put down the knife to eat.

The rest of us? Cut with right, fork in left. When eating, knife stays in right and we for it up and eat with left.

Sounds a bit like my mrs does for the kids, cuts their food for them.

They then eat with the LH fork and put the food into their mouth.

Must admit when I ever visited good ole USA, never saw too many Hispanics using chopsticks..

Must be my fault i only ever visited good ole boy states such as, NM, Texas, Georgia, Alabama etc etc.

Not being a Royalist I have no idea how the high n mighty eat.

Eat as the queen eats, mate. You'll understand better. No one more mocked in India than the English when they push their hands into their food and push it against their mouth to mock eating like a Brit. Great job, mate.

Stick to the awe and wonderment stuff. We are all better off that way.

Just a hint. One 'mate' is enough. You've over done it here.

[JeffreyO]

It's just cultural differences. Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis would never think of cutting up a steak into small pieces before eating it as the Americans do.

I don't know what you are on about. Below is an American eating steak.

Can't open it, but basically I've noticed Americans will hold their knife in the preferred (usually right) hand to cut their meat and fork in the left. They'll then transfer the fork to the right hand and put down the knife to eat.

The rest of us? Cut with right, fork in left. When eating, knife stays in right and we for it up and eat with left.

Sounds a bit like my mrs does for the kids, cuts their food for them.

They then eat with the LH fork and put the food into their mouth.

Must admit when I ever visited good ole USA, never saw too many Hispanics using chopsticks..

Must be my fault i only ever visited good ole boy states such as, NM, Texas, Georgia, Alabama etc etc.

Not being a Royalist I have no idea how the high n mighty eat.

Eat as the queen eats, mate. You'll understand better. No one more mocked in India than the English when they push their hands into their food and push it against their mouth to mock eating like a Brit. Great job, mate.

Stick to the awe and wonderment stuff. We are all better off that way.

Just a hint. One 'mate' is enough. You've over done it here.

Mate, overdoing it was the point. If you can't see that you're as daft as the other muppets, mate.

[SoiBiker]

Oh well. At least he's interacting, I guess.

[samran]

It's just cultural differences. Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis would never think of cutting up a steak into small pieces before eating it as the Americans do.

I don't know what you are on about. Below is an American eating steak.

Can't open it, but basically I've noticed Americans will hold their knife in the preferred (usually right) hand to cut their meat and fork in the left. They'll then transfer the fork to the right hand and put down the knife to eat.

The rest of us? Cut with right, fork in left. When eating, knife stays in right and we for it up and eat with left.

Sounds a bit like my mrs does for the kids, cuts their food for them.

They then eat with the LH fork and put the food into their mouth.

Must admit when I ever visited good ole USA, never saw too many Hispanics using chopsticks..

Must be my fault i only ever visited good ole boy states such as, NM, Texas, Georgia, Alabama etc etc.

Not being a Royalist I have no idea how the high n mighty eat.

Eat as the queen eats, mate. You'll understand better. No one more mocked in India than the English when they push their hands into their food and push it against their mouth to mock eating like a Brit. Great job, mate.

Stick to the awe and wonderment stuff. We are all better off that way.

Just a hint. One 'mate' is enough. You've over done it here.

Mate, overdoing it was the point. If you can't see that you're as daft as the other muppets, mate.

Daft is a bit old fashioned. Muppets is good though. A personal favourite, you are getting better.

[thailiketoo]

I was at a Chinese restaurant a few years back and saw these three guys eating. I think the guy in the middle was an American and he used chopsticks OK.