Do the Thai people eat with chopsticks?

Just asked my wife who used to live in Thailand (we are both going in less than 4 weeks, getting excited) and she says they mostly use knives and forks, chopsticks are more an old tradition that is losing it’s popularity.

Probably they do in a Chinese restaurant.

The Thai people I’ve known in the past did.

One time my friend actually said much the same thing. We ordered thai food and when it came with chopsticks, she said “Oh, well…you can tell that it’s not a real thai food restaurant” (due to the fact that they would eat with a fork and knife).

I never checked up on it, but if it’s true then I learned something that night.

Although the Chinese brought chopsticks to Thailand long ago, today most Thais prefer to use Western cutlery, though in their own special way. Thai cutlery generally consists of a fork and large spoon
Source

Then I DID learn something that night!

From what little knowledge I have, which may or may not be completely accurate

The Chinese introduced the chopsticks, but it never caught on in Thailand. In Thailand, it is traditional to have just two eating utensils. A spoon & a fork. When a fork is used, it isn’t how we use it. Which is, to twirl up or stab a few pieces of food & bring it up to the mouth. The fork acts as ‘the pusher’, to push food onto the spoon.

When I was first dating my husband, I took him to a Thai restaurant. It was new to him, but he was familiar with other kinds of Asian restaurants, such as Chinese. When he asked for chopsticks, they explained that they didn’t have any, that was for Chinese and Japanese restaurants, and they only had regular silverware for Thai food.

Curry with a spoon FTW!

My wife is Thai, and I spent 6 wonderful weeks there. There are lots of ethnic Chinese there now, many living several generations in Thailand. Some restaurants will provide chopsticks as an extra. Of course Chinese restaurants and Japanese do. Virtually all Thais seem to be adept at using chopsticks, but the knife, fork and spoon are standard issue.

Fork and spoon for Thai food, chopsticks for Chinese food. Thai rice is not very sticky, so need the spoon, otherwise the rice falls off. A spoon is also useful for scooping the rice with the various sauces.

BTW, I am of Thai descent, and lived there for many years.

yes to @Michael_Huntington and @rpm_pseud0name
Two main utensils are used—the fork and the spoon.
The spoon is the main hand; we use the spoon to pretty much put food in the mouth.
The fork is there to help push food on the spoon, or to jab food, pick fruits, twirl noodles, etc. You don’t ever see a Thai person use fork to pick up rice.
The chopsticks—only for noodles or when eating Chinese.