Etiquette and Customs in Thailand | Exploring Thai Culture
When traveling to a country with a rich culture like Thailand, many tourists seek an authentic experience. This will allow foreign travelers from around the globe to better understand the etiquette and customs of the Thai people, first hand.
A trip to Thailand will never be complete without indulging your palate to the wonders of Thai cuisine.
However, many tourists find it intimidating trying unfamiliar and exotic dishes, like Thai food.
Keeping an open mind, you’ll be amazed by the different flavors you are going to discover.
One of the best ways to adjust to exotic cuisine is to learn to eat like the locals. The experience could help you learn all about Thai culture. in an immersive and in-depth way.
Get to know Thai culture better by learning about Thai table etiquettes.
If you want to have an authentic Thai experience, you might as well do it right. So here are some customary table manners Thai people observe and practice that you should know about:
4 CRITICAL Table Etiquettes
Seating Arrangement During Thai Meals
Whoever is the host or the one who planned the outing should sit at the head of the table. If the dinner is held in your honor, you are assigned the seat directly opposite of the host.
Everyone else can sit wherever they want. But if you are just another member of the party, you would have to wait for someone to show you to your seat before you can sit down.
This is also the case when you are by yourself. When the restaurant is packed and you are the only one seated at your table, a member of the staff might request that you share your table with a group in order to minimize the crowd. It’s considered rude to turn down their request.
How Dishes Are Served in Thailand
Normally, you would be handed a plate with a cup of rice and a bowl full of soup (only the establishment has any). The different dishes would be laid out in the middle of the table so that everyone could grab a piece or two.
Initially, you should only grab two to three pieces of each dish so that everyone could taste. If you feel like you don’t have enough of one particular dish, make sure to finish off what was on your plate first before you grab more.
Know Your Eating Utensils
You’d think that Thailand would use chopsticks like most Asian countries. That is true to some extent, but only if you are served noodle-based dishes (such as Pad Thai).
When you are eating rice dishes, you use the fork and spoon. How it works is you grip the spoon with your right hand and the fork with your left. Out of the two, you mostly use the spoon but that doesn’t mean the fork is completely useless. You use the fork to basically scoop food bits on your spoon, mostly rice.
Finishing Your Meal
Once you’ve had your fill, you can let others know you’re done by placing your fork and spoon side by side on top of the plate. This also signifies to the waitstaff that they can take your plate.
As for payment, it’s usually the host that is in charge of paying for everyone’s meal. So if you invited everyone, make sure to pick up the tab.
In places like Thailand where food culture and table etiquette is as unique and interesting as their cuisine, you’d be remiss if you don’t go all-in on the experience.
So if you ever find yourself in the streets of Thailand hunting for good Thai food, remember that eating the way locals do will make the experience ten times more fun.
But delectable and mouth-watering food isn’t the only thing to look forward to when you travel to Thailand. Breathtaking scenery and gorgeous women can be highlights of your trip as well.
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