Food etiquette rules over the world: Thailand

Knowing what the etiquette rules are won't just save you from some awkward situations, it can also help you make friends. Here are few rules to keep in mind.

In Thailand, don't put food in your mouth with a fork.

Instead, when eating a dish with cooked rice, use your fork only to push food onto your spoon. A few exceptions: Some northern and northeastern Thai dishes are typically eaten with the hands—you'll know you've encountered such a dish if the rice used is glutinous or "sticky."

Also, stand-alone items that are not part of a rice-based meal may be eaten with a fork. But, says food Etiquette expert, the worst thing to do at a traditional, rice-based meal would be to use chopsticks, that is awkward and inconvenient at best and tacky at worst.