Thailand Table Manners Food and Drink Etiquette

Using our common sense is vital when we are in front of the table and devour our food. Each country has its etiquette when it comes to dining. In some Asian countries, there are similarities with table etiquette, such as using a spoon and fork, using the right hand, utilizing chopsticks, etc. However, this article will focus more on Thailand Table Manners, so you will know how they behave when they are having a meal.

Spoon and Fork

For most Asians, spoons and forks are essential parts of the dish, including Thailand Table Manners. If you want to eat like Thailand royalty, learn how to use a spoon and fork when eating. The spoon should be on your right hand while the fork is on the left. Use these two utensils together in scooping your food. Push the food with the spoon and fork before putting them in your mouth.

Another Thailand Table Manners you should know is using serving spoons in each bowl or plate of the dishes since Thai meals are family-style where you will be sharing different kinds of servings with your companions. Always remember to use the serving spoon when getting your share. Never use the utensil you put in your mouth to scoop the food, especially for the soup.

Speaking of soup, don’t drink the soup directly from the bowl. Instead, use the serving spoon to ladle the soup, transfer the liquid into your poon, and that’s the time you can taste the broth from your utensil.

Thailand Table Manners: Chopsticks Vs. Hand

There’s a wrong connotation about the use of chopsticks in the Land of Smiles. You can find chopsticks in Thai restaurants because most westerners think that Thais use chopsticks when they enjoy their meal, which is not happening in Thailand. These eating instruments are used mainly in eating noodles since it’s challenging to use a spoon when feasting on a bowl of noodles.

Sometimes, locals make use of their right hands to eat their food, mostly for dry foods. But the crucial part for this Thailand Table Manners is the use of the right hand since they believe that the left hand is dirty while the right is clean. When you eat sticky right, always use your right hand to get a portion and roll it before dipping it in a sauce and much them in your mouth. It is a perfect way to eat sticky rice, and you will be considered a pro in enjoying Thai cuisine.

Ordering Food

As mentioned above, it is also among the Thailand Table Manners to share food with your friends or co-workers. It’s called the family-style of ordering. Though you can typically have a single order when you dine alone, sharing the various dishes is quite a practice for the locals. It is an excellent way to taste different courses rather than having only one serving to eat. One more thing is it’s better to eat a balanced meal while having time with your acquaintances or colleagues.

It is customary to let the senior ladies take the orders for everybody, an additional to Thailand Table Manners you have to put in mind. Supposed you want to try a new dish, you can suggest it to the person ordering to have an idea of what you want.

Politely decline the food out of your dietary list, allergic to it, or can’t eat it. It isn’t nice to let your plate untouched. Your companions will appreciate it more if you explain to them that you can’t eat the food rather than leaving it uneaten.

Rice is served in a separate bowl.

Making Use of Condiments

Generally speaking, Thai cuisine composes these various flavors – sweet, spicy, salty, sour, and bitter – that’s why they use many spices for every dish they make. It is common to see various condiments on the table that you can use in spicing up your food to make it more intense and savory.

Drinks During a Meal

Thais like consuming beer during a meal, especially for dinner. Being observant is vital when it comes to pouring your drinks. Don’t be surprised if the person next to you pours your glass and put ice on it. It would be best if you did the same too. Avoid paying too much attention to your plate. Nonetheless, be attentive to your neighbor’s glass and fill up his/her drink, also if it’s empty.

Other Thailand Table Manners

Here are some Thailand Table Manners that will serve as a reminder when dining at a restaurant or being a guest at someone’s house.

Eat quietly or with your mouth close when chewing your food. For other Asian countries, munching on your serving means appreciating the food. However, it is not a practice in Thailand, especially slurping your soup.
If you have a runny nose because of the spicy food you are eating, gently wipe it with tissue, and never blow it loudly in front of your host. Blowing the nose in front of someone in other Asian countries is not a big deal, but it’s disrespectful in Thailand.
Don’t talk or laugh when your mouth is stuffed with food. Munch your food first before speaking.
Cover your mouth and use a toothpick when you need to remove excess food between your teeth.
Always show your gratitude to your host after the meal.

To summarize it all, observing Thailand Table Manners while feasting on the different Thai courses would make you a native of the place. For Thailand Table Manners, you are not obliged to eat everything, but wouldn’t it be nice not to waste food?

Thanks a lot again for browsing this short write-up about Thailand Table Manners: Food and Drink Etiquette. We hope that it is beneficial to you and have an idea of some of Thailand Table Manners.