Why do Thai restaurants never seem to offer chopsticks?

Question

I've been easily over a dozen Thai restaurants and never once have I seen chopsticks on the table. Do Thais simply eat without them or with some other utensil? Or is this just a strange coincidence?

Answer 1

Because in Thailand it's customary to use spoons and forks (I don't think a knife is even ordinarilly put in the table setitng). Occasionally chopsticks are used only for noodles. Customarilly the spoon is held in the right hand and the fork in the left . The fork is used to guide the food to the spoon. As for the sticky rice, custom is to eat it with the fingers. They may have them if you ask for them, but it's not a Thai custom to set the table with them.

Answer 2

The Chinese first started using chopsticks over 5,000 years ago. It grew out of the practice of stirring food in a pot with a piece of twig from a tree. If you used two twigs, you could actually pick up food from the pot.
The Japanese developed the use of chopsticks as well but are more elegant with them.
The Chinese typically placed their hands further down on the chopsticks, closer to the food. The also used the chopsticks to 'shovel' food into their mouths.
The Japanese, on the other hand, considered that to be almost like eating with your fingers. Japanese hold their fingers much higher up, making it harder to use the chopsticks but also slowing down the eating process. The Japanese instill many aesthetics into the entire dining process.
Chopsticks in other parts of the Asian world are fairly new and some countries, like Thailand, have never really adopted them on a widescale.

Answer 3

The Thai prefer the spoon over all utensils. Chopsticks are used mostly for noodle dishes only.

Answer 4

Chopsticks are the utensils of chinese people. Thai are not chinese.
Traditionally , they use fork and spoon . Of course in the olden days they actually use hands. Thai culture is heavily influenced by the Hindus and in India they commonly use hands to eat.
And South east asians do use chopsticks in their meals. Don't forget there are Chinese in all the South east Asian countries!!

Answer 5

They don't use chopsticks. You whiteys should not generalize the chopstick with all Asian Cuisine. If your Thai restaurant doesn't offer it, respect their customs. I saw this white lady screaming about wanting chopsticks. I laugh when I see white ppl going out of their way to use them.

Answer 6

You are correct they don't use chopsticks. Thai people use a fork, knife and spoon. Apparently in Southeast Asia, only the Vietnamese eat with chopsticks.

Answer 7

Thai restaurant doesn't use Chopsticks. Its not part of their tradition to use that only chinese and vietnamese are using chopsticks

Answer 8

When we were in Thailand, everyone ate with a fork and spoon. Actually, they moved the food onto the spoon with the fork and ate with the spoon. Chopsticks were used only for noodles, if at all.

Answer 9

Thai people don't use chopsticks....only the chinese do...they use a fork and a spoon

Answer 10

Actually, I think it is part of the Americanization of Thai food. I usually have to ask for chop sticks and they are always provided. I suspect that the traditional knife, fork, and spoon are placed on the table to help diners not adept with chopsticks, be embarrassed by asking for them.