When I first started visiting LOS I noticed the people smiling a lot at me. I always smiled back. 

 

Now Im older and life is more of a routine. Perhaps I dont smile much. The in laws suggested I should smile more- as we are about to start a business. 

 

As a non smiling person should I try to do the opposite? What about you? Are you one of these happy smiling people or a sad serious git like myself. 

 

Im my 20s and early 30s I was such a happy person. As Ive got older I think Im not as happy in life anymore. Is this normal as one gets older?

One of the first things I noticed here were the smiles.....Short supply of them in the home country....

 

I always enjoy going out & trading smiles....

Well according to some "research"  I have read there are up to 13 varieties of Thai smile as part of their culture which means at any time there is only an 8% chance your getting the smile you think. However if you wish to walk around grinning like an idiot at every person you see. Well that's entirely up to you. Just as many fake smiles as genuine ones here.

9 minutes ago, starky said:

link  https://www.thethailandlife.com/whats-behind-a-thai-smile

 

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by evilebxxx

Never really thought about it.

 

A lot!

when you have a smile such as mine it would be a crime not to share it.

 

PS: a smile is the best investment a person can make. The ROI is astronomical.

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by sirineou
typo

I smile every morning when i wake, another day is here, look over and see my beautiful wife smile at me, and i am happy.

My outward displays of happiness have been replaced with inner contentment. Life is good. 

If I make eye contact with another, I smile. I have no more control over it than breathing. ?Happy? is ok, but peace of mind is worth defending.

I tend to smile quite a lot nowadays; but not so much when I'm dancing to Sebastian Daw's Whoopsey Daisy.

Edited September 3, 20187 yr by owl sees all

One of the ways I choose whether to return to a coffee stall...or whatever....is whether they greet me with a smile or not. My view is...if they not look as if they are happy to see me (as a customer) then why should I give them my business. I'd rather give it to somebody who looks as if they appreciate it.

PS...Am not sure why they call it "LOS"...false smiles yes...but genuine smiles ..very little....more like "cranky" faces (especially when you ask a question in a store or similar situation).

   I come from a country that should be called..."The Land of Genuine smiles and Warm Hearts"......IRELAND.

What's the quote? "Keep smiling, it makes people wonder what you are up to".... Americans, at least up to recent times, have been known to smile alot. I continue to smile as I am happy with my life .... just don't address "The Donald's" words (including "Tweets"), policies and actions.

 

I smile. It costs nothing and has nothing but upside potential. Naysayers can cool their jets, because you know what I mean. I'm not talking about a sarcastic, sardonic smile.

Having a smile on your face brings you much, much farther in Thailand! Not only in Thailand. Just imagine, if people in showbiz wouldn't smile ...

Edited September 3, 20187 yr by Dario

It's a laugh a minute.

regards Worgeordie

My wife and others often point out that (Thai) people always smile at me when passing. The reason I'm sure is that I seem to have a permanent smile on my face when walking around. It is not a conscious choice, but the result of inner contentment and pleasure of living here. Odd thing is that smiles from other foreigners are not as forthcoming.

If one were to go by what one reads on this forum there are a serious amount of terminally unhappy expats with weapons grade depression.

Makes me wonder why they stay here. What's the point? If everything about the place is so bad why not go back to good old back home?

I try to smile often, I find that it not only brings smiles back but also makes me feel better.

 

Except when they try to make my wife a widow while I am driving, then I have the killer look.

Less than I hoped, but more than elsewhere.

The presence of a smile, or not, is not a true indicator of happiness or friendliness. There are many different facial structures, some of us look like idiots if we force a smile (me). My very clever X wife had me pegged. I would try to pull one over on her using my poker face. She would just look into my eyes and saw the smile there.

Sometimes while with others, such as a dinner engagement, somebody would rudely say to her, doesn't your husband ever smile, is he unhappy? She would tell them to look into my eyes for the smile. Smart lady!

 

If you want to see the epitome of a FAKE smile, Google Carter Page, one of Trump's cronies. Even under serious questioning, he wears this stupid looking FAKE smile.

32 minutes ago, Expatthailover said:

If one were to go by what one reads on this forum there are a serious amount of terminally unhappy expats with weapons grade depression.

Makes me wonder why they stay here. What's the point? If everything about the place is so bad why not go back to good old back home?

Maybe it is even worse from whence they came.

58 minutes ago, Cereal said:

I smile. It costs nothing and has nothing but upside potential. Naysayers can cool their jets, because you know what I mean. I'm not talking about a sarcastic, sardonic smile.

Your avatar always brings a smile to my face

This is from an old Thai TV commercial ,    sorry for poor quality  does anyone remember what the commercial was for ?

 

 

5 hours ago, starky said:

Well according to some "research"  I have read there are up to 13 varieties of Thai smile as part of their culture which means at any time there is only an 8% chance your getting the smile you think. However if you wish to walk around grinning like an idiot at every person you see. Well that's entirely up to you. Just as many fake smiles as genuine ones here.

That's ok - they don't know exactly what kind of smile I'm giving them either.....Works both ways = all cultures.....

Well according to some "research"  I have read there are up to 13 varieties of Thai smile as part of their culture which means at any time there is only an 8% chance your getting the smile you think. However if you wish to walk around grinning like an idiot at every person you see. Well that's entirely up to you. Just as many fake smiles as genuine ones here.

Your odds seem to assume the recipient of the smile is blind.

I dare say there is a plastic surgery procedure to sort the OP's ploblem...?

2 minutes ago, transam said:

I dare say there is a plastic surgery procedure to sort the OP's ploblem...?

REAL beats FAKE hands down. Smiles, boobs, politics, food ........

I come from the UK. I also have a naturally unsmiling face - particularly when I am reading, thinking, concentrating on work or other matters and I look like my father who had the same facial characteristics. Additionally, to smile wantonly at people in the UK is to invite a smack in the mouth, (a guy), or a complaint of sexual harrassment/intention or whatever, from all women. Smiling at kids is a 100% guarantee that you are, without doubt - a Paedophile and therefore shunned.

 

Now to your post. I have lived in Thailand for 13 years. I found that Thai people smiled at me a lot. I learned to smile back and even more than that, I learned to smile proactively.

 

The results have been astounding. I always smile if someone smiles at me - I think it is polite and friendly anyway. But the response I get from Thais if I smile first is one of the nicest things about this country.  From older and younger women, on almost every occasion, I receive an immediate smile in return. If I make an error while driving either my car or motorbike - a smile from me rewards me with a return smile - this from many males who appear to be quite tolerant of minor errors, providing you are not aggressive and foul mouthed. Where I work, I amn smiled at constantly throughout the working day. It makes me feel welcome and secure. I have never had thisexperience in any other country in all my long life!

 

So, yes. I smile a lot.I like to smile and I receive a lot of pleasure in getting a similar response. However, if I am reading, concentrating, etc., Thais seem to think I am angry or bad tempered. So I smile even more to aleviate that impression.  

7 minutes ago, neeray said:

REAL beats FAKE hands down. Smiles, boobs, politics, food ........

Real, hmmmm, ever heard of the term "Two faced"..That can equate to a smile too..?

I smile all the time. It is one of the things I love about Thailand.