The funny part about the hand-eating discourse is that Thailand had it 120 years ago. Historically, Thai etiquette was inspired by India and most food was eaten with the hands. But in 1897, King Chulalongkorn visited Europe, decided western utensils were more hygienic and ~fancy~, and called for their mass implementation back home. That’s why the vast majority of Thai dishes are eaten with spoons and forks today.