Video: Fake Thai smile exposed! Irony reigns as "copycat" videos take the Mickey!

[Odysseus123]

1 minute ago, Eligius said:

What is a Thai smile? What most of us mean by the 'Thai smile' is a smile that is fake - it does not correspond to any inner feeling of pleasure or gladness, and thus disappears IMMEDIATELY when the other person looks away. 

For some people, life might be all an act on a stage - but some of us prefer to have GENUINE interactions with people, with GENUINE feelings and expressions of those feelings! When I smile at someone, my smile does NOT disappear in a nano-second the moment that person looks away from me. If I felt like that towards the person - I would not smile in the first place!

You won't get it in Australia.

 

Or anywhere else where human relationships are determined by "the means of production"

[Kieran00001]

1 minute ago, Eligius said:

What is a Thai smile? What most of us mean by the 'Thai smile' is a smile that is fake - it does not correspond to any inner feeling of pleasure or gladness, and thus disappears IMMEDIATELY when the other person looks away. 

For some people, life might be all an act on a stage - but some of us prefer to have GENUINE interactions with people, with GENUINE feelings and expressions of those feelings! When I smile at someone, my smile does NOT disappear in a nano-second the moment that person looks away from me. If I felt like that towards the person - I would not smile in the first place!

 

I come from the UK, a lot of people have fake smiles plastered on their faces all day, as do lots of other nationalities, there is nothing Thai about fake smiles, that is absurd and I can only assume is you taking a pop due to getting burned in some way by a Thai person.

[KiwiKiwi]

12 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

Total rubbish.

 

The OP video has emphasised Thai people that are smiling while working in the hospitality business, and the smile is all about business in those cases. I used to work in shops in Britain and had to appear welcoming with a friendly face towards the customers, because I wanted them to spend their money. No one would spend money with businesses that have in-different staff. But most know that I couldn`t give a rat`s if a customer was run over by a truck or died in a nuclear holocaust later on.

 

The Thai smile is a cultural thing, is just a display of acknowledgement, a form of a quick, HI, a politeness and that`s all there is behind these smiles. It`s also a way of breaking the ice with strangers and creating a friendly atmosphere. That`s all there is to this and rarely goes deeper than that. 

 

Life is an act on a big stage. Look too deeply into anything, and you`ll going to be disappointed.

 

 

No, it isn't rubbish, Elgius is quite right and you, I'm afraid are mostly quite wrong. Not a sledge, merely a polite way of saying that in my humble and fraternal but qualified opinion, you are nearly right.

[Eligius]

8 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

I come from the UK, a lot of people have fake smiles plastered on their faces all day, as do lots of other nationalities, there is nothing Thai about fake smiles, that is absurd and I can only assume is you taking a pop due to getting burned in some way by a Thai person.

No, not at all. I generally like the Thais (that is why I am here) - although I detest and abhor the current fake 'government'. But it must surely give pause for thought that so many of us have swiftly recognised, on arriving in Thailand, that there is a widespread phenomenon of fake smiling here. It is really noticeable - far more than in any other European country I've lived in (and I've lived in quite a few). To deny that smiles in Thailand are very, very frequently unmatched by any inner feeling of pleasure, happiness or gladness  and disappear ridiculously swiftly (when the smiler thinks he/she is unobserved)  - well, that is just to deny the glaring reality of common Thai behaviour. 

 

Edited May 9, 2018 by Eligius

[Jeremia Juxtaposed]

5 minutes ago, KiwiKiwi said:

There are at least 20 different types of smile in the Thai armoury. Most are not genuine, and range from a contemptuous smile to the condescending smile to the infamous 'kee-nok' smile. These take practice to discern and I'm frankly still learning, even though I've studied bosy language for years..

 

I think you watch too many Thai Soaps but ....... I know this is going to hurt......They are not real life....

[Nasrullah]

58 minutes ago, Get Real said:

You know that thai smiles are fake, just because you choose to generalize and put all in the same box. If you can´t see the differens, then I just feel sorry for you.

Yes...I deal with 'general' not the exceptions...repeat general/majority

 

These people will smile at you one minute then throw you to the wolves the next.

No need to feel sorry for me!

[Kieran00001]

4 minutes ago, KiwiKiwi said:

When you see a Thai speaking, watch how they stretch the lips left and right, up and down, until the teeth and tongue are exposed like s narl or a grimace.It's meant to appear to be a smile, as if they're always happy and content.

 

Then look at the smile lines (skin folds) emanating from the corner of the mouth If they go upwards towards the top of the ears, then the facial muscles are engaged and the smile is genuine. If not then it isn't.

 

Then l;ook at the eyes. If lines radiate out from the outside corners then the facial muscles are engaged and the smile is likely to be genuine, otherwise not.

 

Then wait until the smile fades. If the lips return to normal suddenly, then the smile is not genuine, you cannot turn off a genuine smile quickly. In the video, the smiles are clearly and without a doiubt not genuine.

 

There are at least 20 different types of smile in the Thai armoury. Most are not genuine, and range from a contemptuous smile to the condescending smile to the infamous 'kee-nok' smile. These take practice to discern and I'm frankly still learning, even though I've studied bosy language for years..

 

that'll be 200THB please, oops, been in Thailand too long.

 

The only people I have noticed that fit your description in Thailand regarding the smiling lines etc are bar girls and some other people in customer service, both jobs require a fake smile and both of these jobs wear fake smiles the world over.  I asked what a Thai smile is not a fake smile.

 

[thesetat2013]

6 hours ago, getithere328 said:

Perhaps it’s a tad unfair to expect the girl to have a constant beaming smile whilst handing out a bus load of garlands and having her picture taken for the millionth time (despite it being her job).


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They do this in Hawaii as I recall and at hotels when checking in. If this is her paid proffesion.  She needs to more diligent as it does reflect poorly on Thailand in general

[Kieran00001]

2 minutes ago, Eligius said:

No, not at all. I generally like the Thais (that is why I am here) - although I detest and abhor the current fake 'government'. But it must surely give pause for thought that so many of us have swiftly recognised, on arriving in Thailand, that there is a widespread phenomenon of fake smiling here. It is really noticeable - far more than in any other European country I've lived in (and I've lived in quite a few). To deny that smiles in Thailand are very, very frequently unmatched by any inner feeling of pleasure, happiness or gladness is - well, just to deny the glaring reality of common Thai behaviour.

 

I see no greater amount of fake smiles in Thailand than I saw in the UK, in fact quite possibly less here, but then I don't hang around the areas full of people trying to extract money from foreigners, I have no doubt that this "phenomena" is more prevalent in those places than others.

[KiwiKiwi]

4 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

The only people I have noticed that fit your description in Thailand regarding the smiling lines etc are bar girls and some other people in customer service, both jobs require a fake smile and both of these jobs wear fake smiles the world over.  I asked what a Thai smile is not a fake smile.

 

And I thought I responded helpfully. A Thai smile is 80% a fake smile. I gave you the information with which you can distinguish between a fake smile and a genuine smile. If the information is of no use to you then I will accept 100THB.

[KiwiKiwi]

2 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

I see no greater amount of fake smiles in Thailand than I saw in the UK, in fact quite possibly less here, but then I don't hang around the areas full of people trying to extract money from foreigners, I have no doubt that this "phenomena" is more prevalent in those places than others.

Conversely I see many more fake smiles (and many more genuine ones too to ge truthful) in Thailand than I used to see in UK.

 

Perhaps I just pay more attention now.

[Eligius]

1 minute ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

I see no greater amount of fake smiles in Thailand than I saw in the UK, in fact quite possibly less here, but then I don't hang around the areas full of people trying to extract money from foreigners, I have no doubt that this "phenomena" is more prevalent in those places than others.

I know the UK EXTREMELY well - decades' long, in fact - and I NEVER noticed so many fake smiles as here in Thailand. And by the way - I NEVER hang around places where Thais are trying to extract money from foreigners.

 

You don't have to venture very far along any street, soi or part of Thailand to encounter the notorious Thai smile. I've no more to say on this - as, if you can't see the blindingly obvious (which NUMEROUS people have noted and remarked upon over the years), then there is nothing more that I can say that would be worthwhile or of any point in the current discussion.

[KiwiKiwi]

8 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

The only people I have noticed that fit your description in Thailand regarding the smiling lines etc are bar girls and some other people in customer service, both jobs require a fake smile and both of these jobs wear fake smiles the world over.  I asked what a Thai smile is not a fake smile.

 

I will cheerfully concede a superior experience where bargirls are concerned. That's something I am not an expert in. Unlike body language.

[KiwiKiwi]

11 minutes ago, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

I think you watch too many Thai Soaps but ....... I know this is going to hurt......They are not real life....

Hmmm. I think you don't think enough. Thanks for revealing that they're not real though, that passed me right by.

 

Is Eastenders not real either? Please don't shatter my world.

[Myran]

Wow, it's almost like she's just doing her job and isn't completely overjoyed by it.. Next you'll tell me that Coca Cola is just selling beverages to make money, and not clench the world-wide thirst.

[KiwiKiwi]

11 minutes ago, Myran said:

Wow, it's almost like she's just doing her job and isn't completely overjoyed by it.. Next you'll tell me that Coca Cola is just selling beverages to make money, and not clench the world-wide thirst.

Must be your day for revelations, friend. Not a good day I imagine, but look on the bright side, at least now, if you read carefully, you'll be able to spot a Thai smile and distinguish it from the real thing. Even so, I will try to maximise the pearls and minimise the marauding swine in the future. Nobody likes to waste effort.

Edited May 9, 2018 by KiwiKiwi

[berybert]

Maybe she isn't faking the smile but just really upset every time one customer goes before the next one shows up. 

 

[Odysseus123]

6 minutes ago, KiwiKiwi said:

Must be your day for revelations, friend. Not a good day I imagine, but look on the bright side, at least now, if you read carefully, you'll be able to spot a Thai smile and distinguish it from the real thing. Even so, I will try to maximise the pearls and minimise the Gadarene swine in the future. Nobody likes to waste effort.

Quite so..

 

Ah..yes..the Gadarene internet swine..

 

Having a go at a Thai girl just doing her job,eh?

 

[KiwiKiwi]

Just now, Odysseus123 said:

Quite so..

 

Ah..yes..the Gadarene internet swine..

 

Having a go at a Thai girl just doing her job,eh?

 

No, I was mixing images, The Gardarene swine were different. I've since edited the post - my apologies.And yes, having a go at a Thai girl for doing her job badly, Shame on them I suppose, surely the understand that most Thais do their job badly? You should see the job one of the ruffians did on painting my house. And the new septic tank? that's a whole different nightmare.

[Odysseus123]

8 minutes ago, KiwiKiwi said:

No, I was mixing images, The Gardarene swine were different. I've since edited the post - my apologies.And yes, having a go at a Thai girl for doing her job badly, Shame on them I suppose, surely the understand that most Thais do their job badly? You should see the job one of the ruffians did on painting my house. And the new septic tank? that's a whole different nightmare.

Fine.

 

What exactly is your point?

 

If you want to diss a Thai girl just doing her job I cannot stand in your way.

 

But I will protest.

 

Nothing worse than the miserable Western serf population-I used to have the utmost pleasure in removing them from my ED.

 

And that goes for grotesquely obese,women bashing "once were warriors" too.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2018 by Odysseus123

[KiwiKiwi]

4 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Fine.

 

What exactly is your point?

Only that  few illustrious (and no doubt knowledgeable) folk were dubious about my dissertation on smiles. And the 'swine' derived from the proverb:

 

"Cast not your pearls before swine lest they trample them underfoot as they turn to rend you."

 

Clearer now? Should be.

Edited May 9, 2018 by KiwiKiwi

[Kieran00001]

32 minutes ago, KiwiKiwi said:

Conversely I see many more fake smiles (and many more genuine ones too to ge truthful) in Thailand than I used to see in UK.

 

Perhaps I just pay more attention now.

 

Perhaps you didn't pay attention more in the UK, that one works both ways.

[KiwiKiwi]

6 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

Perhaps you didn't pay attention more in the UK, that one works both ways.

Non sequitur but no matter. I'm off for a cup of tea now, is that OK or would you like to make another non-sequitur? There is time while I'm putting the milk in...

Edited May 9, 2018 by KiwiKiwi

[Jeremia Juxtaposed]

40 minutes ago, KiwiKiwi said:

Hmmm. I think you don't think enough. Thanks for revealing that they're not real though, that passed me right by.

 

Is Eastenders not real either? Please don't shatter my world.

Good one...but UK soaps follow real life whereas Thai life follows Thai soaps....hence the hair flicking (not Herr Flicking) eyes rolling, head twitching and multitudes of facial expressions you see ... or it could just be that the girls I see need a fix ....In which case I am totally wrong and out of my depth here..

Edited May 9, 2018 by Jeremia Juxtaposed

[Kieran00001]

32 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I know the UK EXTREMELY well - decades' long, in fact - and I NEVER noticed so many fake smiles as here in Thailand. And by the way - I NEVER hang around places where Thais are trying to extract money from foreigners.

 

You don't have to venture very far along any street, soi or part of Thailand to encounter the notorious Thai smile. I've no more to say on this - as, if you can't see the blindingly obvious (which NUMEROUS people have noted and remarked upon over the years), then there is nothing more that I can say that would be worthwhile or of any point in the current discussion.

 

Its strange to me because in my experience, Thai's just don't smile as much as we do in the UK.  While we will look at each other when passing in the street, Thai's will look at the ground, while our shop keepers will try to catch our eye and smile at us, Thai shop keepers will purposely avoid eye contact. 

 

[Get Real]

47 minutes ago, Nasrullah said:

Yes...I deal with 'general' not the exceptions...repeat general/majority

 

These people will smile at you one minute then throw you to the wolves the next.

No need to feel sorry for me!

You can turnaround the discussion as much as you want. You are wrong, and that´s a fact. Unfortunately not unique, so you will fit straight into the general population.

[KiwiKiwi]

Just now, Kieran00001 said:

 

Its strange to me because in my experience, Thai's just don't smile as much as we do in the UK.  While we will look at each other when passing in the street, Thai's will look at the ground, while our shop keepers will try to catch our eye and smile at us, Thai shop keepers will purposely avoid eye contact. 

 

Oh God...

[KiwiKiwi]

5 hours ago, Get Real said:

And that was realevant in what kind of way. You just choosed that comment, to protect yourself from answering truthfully on the question posed.
Rule number one! If you can´t do it yourself, then don´t complain about other peoples performance.

Choosed? Oh dear...

 

[Odysseus123]

2 minutes ago, KiwiKiwi said:

Oh God...

 

4 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

Its strange to me because in my experience, Thai's just don't smile as much as we do in the UK.  While we will look at each other when passing in the street, Thai's will look at the ground, while our shop keepers will try to catch our eye and smile at us, Thai shop keepers will purposely avoid eye contact. 

 

Utter BS.

 

 

[Get Real]

1 minute ago, KiwiKiwi said:

Choosed? Oh dear...

 

And that meaning what?