Whether you are eating Thai food in its country of origin or enjoying these authentic dishes in your own country knowing and using proper Thai etiquette can make your dining experience richer and more enjoyable. It's a unique way of learning a bit of Thailand's culture through the enjoyment of your dining experience. Here are a few tips that will help you transition from the eating etiquette of western culture to that of Thailand's culture.
The first thing to remember is that while most Westerners are very casual about friendly touches such as pats on the back or a light touch on a server's arm. However, this is considered extremely rude and unacceptable in Thai culture so curb those friendly gestures for the sake of the dignity of your server.
Many people also equate Thai food with Chinese cooking. While the two styles use many of the same ingredients there is a distinct difference in them and the way the food is eaten. Thai food is commonly eaten with a spoon and a fork. The fork is held in the left hand and the spoon in the right. You should never eat from your fork as Thai's consider this crude,. Instead use the fork to push the food onto the spoon. Also, do not ask your server for chop sticks. Although chop sticks are occasionally used, Thai's pride themselves on seeing to your every need and if the meal calls for chop sticks they will be provided.
Thai food is generally served family style in dishes set in the middle of the table. The serving dishes should never be picked up and passed around rather individual plates should be passed with the person nearest each dish serving everyone else. You should never take the last bit of food out of the serving dish at a Thai restaurant as this is seen as extremely rude.
During the meal there are two things that you should never do. One is lick your fingers and the other is to blow your nose. If you cannot avoid blowing your nose then excuse yourself from the table and go to the rest room.
Because Thai food is so incredibly delicious it is easy to want to eat every last bite on your plate even when you feel stuffed. However, please try to remember to leave a little on your plate. An empty plate means that you are still hungry and since Thai's pride themselves on ensuring that their guests have plenty to eat they will feel as though they failed you if your plate is cleaned. However, while politeness dictates leaving some food on your plate you should never leave any rice as not eating the rice is considered wasteful.
Here at chingari-restaurant.com (Thai food) we pride ourselves on helping our diners get the most out of their Thai dining experience so if you want additional advice on Thai etiquette or simply want to learn a little more about Thai cooking and culture please feel free to browse our website. We think you will find it to be interesting, informative and fun.
Now that you've learned a little about Thai etiquette perhaps you would like to enjoy that Thai dining experience and practice all that you have learned.