Use a fork and spoon. This is another big difference that has a couple dimensions. When dining informally, or with close friends, there often won’t be any serving spoons. Thais use the same spoon they’ve just shoved into their mouth to pick food from the central dish. This seemed very, very odd to me at first, but is just the way things are done here. And for those who are unsure about the mechanics of the fork and spoon, here’s how it’s done: with your right hand, use your spoon (or the communal spoon, if one is provided) to take the equivalent of one bite of food from the central dish. Put this directly on top of some of the rice on your plate. Holding the fork in your left hand, use it to push the now food-drenched mound of rice back onto your spoon. Shove the spoon in your gob. Repeat.