In Singapore and Malaysia (presumably Indonesia as well), we didn't (still don't?) have labels, like they do here in Britain, to indicate the level of spiciness, e.g., a Korma curry (least hot), a Madras or a Vindaloo curry (at the top end).
The spectrum might've been invented as a guide for the white foreigners in the old days as they would need some help identifying how hot a curry was.
I don't remember now how we Singaporeans plump for curries (and their spiciness) when choosing a dish.
All I remember is: the names of the dishes give a clue to the ingredients, but not the level of heat, e.g., beef curry (how hot though??), lamb curry (ditto), fish curry (ditto), etc.
Maybe through painful trial and error. If your taste buds get burned after a particular dish at a particular curry house/stall, you stay away from it next time.
Once burned, twice shy.
(Singapore, 1960s and 1970s)
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