The Thai way. When they eat they usually follow these unwritten laws...
They always eat with a fork AND a spoon. Both.
They primarily use the spoon and the fork just helps the food onto the spoon. They will use a spoon for EVERYTHING! They will try to cut their meat with a spoon too!
So, when I came here to Thailand I tried to follow what they did. I too can now eat with both a spoon and a fork. I don't know why I still do - but, it makes sense when you practice it. The fork is so thin and you can drop things like corn, and other small things - easily.
With a spoon I get it all first time. With the fork helping it on - I'm set.
Another thing is - the Thai's do NOT pick their teeth with toothpicks without covering the mouth with their free hand. They don't. It's rude here. So now I cover my mouth too when I eat at a restaurant and need to get some chicken out from my teeth with a toothpick.
At home too - because I don't want to gross my wife out.
The Thais' eat fast and they talk little during a meal. You would be surprised how much Thais' can eat - and yet they are so petite! My wife out eats me every meal. Yes, I'm serious. Every meal she eats more than I do. And yet she is only 90 pounds and I am 155. I am 5'11 and she is 5 foot 1.
When she really gets hungry - it's SCARY. She can pack it away. She can eat fast but she can also eat snacks over the course of an entire night if given the chance. And she DOES NOT gain weight!
Thais as a group must be blessed with high metabolic rates. There are SO few fat people here... though those that have been here for a long time say that the number is increasing as they get away from the traditional Thai foods and into more Americanized and other foreign fatty foods.
Next time you go to a Thai restaurant watch for the spoon and the toothpick!
:P