Thailand is no longer the Land of smiles.

[ravip]

Today, on this planet, everything seems to be just a 'marketing ploy'. Attend a Management seminar/workshop - does any of those theories exist? Is it possible to implement them?

 

Why take only the Smile? Humanitarian, Justice, Fair Play, non-discrimination, all are equal... the list is endless - but where does it exist?

 

Unfortunately (or fortunately?), its the survival of the fittest (by hook or by crook)vtheory that works 100%.

 

Sad, but true.

[Rimmer]

Off topic post removed

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

as noted i lived in Khon kaen and nong khai......are you saying the grumpy folks are regulated to certain locations?

you may have a point as all the grumpy grandpas seem to collect here......guess my exps tend to differ...and thais think we are all the same same--but different!

Errrr. The point I was making is that the smile has vanished all over. Sure, people make polite smiles when greeted, but the genuine from the heart smile that they used to have, IMO has vanished from Thai society.

 

A Thai girlfriend I had long ago had a smile that was like seeing the sun shine out of her face. I haven't seen a smile like that for a very long time.

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

I was just hoping to have a link to send them as the latest scam from them is they are hungry for food, but refuse to sell their phones..not THAT hungry i guess! ????

They'd probably sell granny before they'd sell their phones.

[likerdup1]

Has the OP visited every corner of Thailand? Where is it he goes where there are no smiles anymore? This is pretty myopic. Hyperbole IMHO.

 

I contend that the OP probably lives in a tourist area of Thailand like Phuket or Pattaya.

 

If the OP lives in Pattaya or Phuket then he's not really experiencing real Thai culture and probably is the kind of expat that never really cared enough to learn the culture or even learn the language.

 

In Pattaya and other heavy resort towns Thai culture, manners and etiquette are long gone. Certain visitors from certain countries (China, Russia and other insensitive farangs) have no respect for the culture and don't even take the time to investigate it. Thai workers become jaded having been disrespected and treated poorly over and over.

 

For expats that live here very few of them even make the effort to learn the language. It is really galling, lazy and disrespectful. I wonder if the OP knows how to speak much Thai at all.

 

The insensitivity of farangs visiting Thailand insisting that the country their visiting bend to their customs and ways jades most Thai's who experience it over and over day and day out and then... no not many jaded Thais in these tourist towns smile any more because they meet so many drunk, disrespectful, disgruntled farangs and bear the brunt of their insensitive behavior.

 

So, by doing a little research into Thai culture one can find out just what a "smile" really means from a Thai citizen. When a Thai smiles it can be when they are really nervous, confronted or found out in a lie or guilt. Or when doing business and trying to sell you something. Yea the smiles abound.

 

You are equating smiles with Happiness. Thats a mistake in Thailand. That may be the case sometimes and more so in western culture but in Thailand smiling does not always accompany happiness.

 

Life sucks and then you die and in Thailand it can really suck and HAS sucked for many many years not just lately. It's a poor country and a lot of people have lived and do live in hardship. So the lack of smiles WHERE YOU ARE has nothing to do with the current state of affairs.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

3 minutes ago, likerdup1 said:

So, by doing a little research into Thai culture one can find out just what a "smile" really means. When a Thai smiles it can be when they are really nervous, confronted or found out in a lie or guilt.

 

You are equating smiles with Happiness.. that may be so sometimes and more so in western culture but in Thailand smiling does not always accompany happiness.

 

Life sucks and then you die and in Thailand it can really suck and HAS sucked for many many years not just lately. It's a poor country and a lot of people have lived and do live in hardship.

Couple of things about that.

 

Yes, the Thais have loads of different smiles, and one has to grow up in the culture to understand them, so farangs tend to misinterpret their smiles, eg a farang might think a girl smiling at him is because she likes him, when she is actually thinking that the farang is a revoltingly gross fat b'tard with bad breath and no hair.

 

Thailand is NOT a poor country. It's very, very wealthy, but most of the wealth ( as always ) is concentrated in few hands.

[nigelforbes]

1. Yim thang nam taa: The “I’m so happy I’m crying” smile.
2. Yim thak thaai: The “polite” smile for someone you barely know.
3. Yim cheun chom: The “I admire you” or “I’m proud of you” smile.
4. Fuen Yim: The stiff smile, also known as the “I should laugh at the joke even though it’s not funny” smile.
5. Yim mee lessanai: The smile which masks something wicked, such as bad intent.
6. Yim yaw: The teasing, or “I told you so” smile.
7. Yim yae-yae: The “I know things look pretty bad but there’s no point in crying over spilt milk” smile.
8. Yim sao: The sad smile.
9. Yim haeng: The dry smile, also known as the “I know I owe you the money, but I don’t have it” smile.
10. Yim thak thaan: The “I disagree with you” smile, also known as the “You can go ahead and propose it but your idea’s no good” smile.
11. Yim cheuad-cheuan: The “I am the winner” smile; a smile given to a losing competitor.
12. Yim soo: The “smiling in the face of an impossible struggle” smile.https://impactgrouphr.com/individualpost/thailand-the-land-of-the-smiles/ mai awk: The “I’m trying to smile, but can’t” smile.

[Lemsta69]

22 minutes ago, likerdup1 said:

This is pretty myopic. Hyperbole IMHO.

That's our Bob.

[likerdup1]

54 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Couple of things about that.

 

Yes, the Thais have loads of different smiles, and one has to grow up in the culture to understand them, so farangs tend to misinterpret their smiles, eg a farang might think a girl smiling at him is because she likes him, when she is actually thinking that the farang is a revoltingly gross fat b'tard with bad breath and no hair.

 

Thailand is NOT a poor country. It's very, very wealthy, but most of the wealth ( as always ) is concentrated in few hands.

Let me apologize as my previous post wasn't kind and I see that now. That's wrong of me.

 

My point about Thailand being a poor country is that it has a low GDP/PCI compared to most all western countries. That fact that their leaders take advantage of the citizens and get rich has been the case for many many years. (Same with Phils and many other SE Asian countries)

 

My point is that the current state of affairs more than likely doesn't have anything to do with your perception that Thais aren't smiling that much theses days.

 

It is more likely about where you go and live than anything.

[NONG CHOK]

Thailand is far from the land of smiles when Thai women throw a wobbly. I know first hand as I've been married to an Isaan lady for the past 22 years.

[nigelforbes]

49 minutes ago, likerdup1 said:

Let me apologize as my previous post wasn't kind and I see that now. That's wrong of me.

 

My point about Thailand being a poor country is that it has a low GDP/PCI compared to most all western countries. That fact that their leaders take advantage of the citizens and get rich has been the case for many many years. (Same with Phils and many other SE Asian countries)

 

My point is that the current state of affairs more than likely doesn't have anything to do with your perception that Thais aren't smiling that much theses days.

 

It is more likely about where you go and live than anything.

Thailand's low GDP compared to many Western countries is only a part of the picture, its GDP may be lower but so is its debt to GDP ratio, by a considerable margin. Plus Thailand's social security support costs are also lower than Western countries, again by a substantial margin. The reality is that Thailand operates a different economic model to the West, which is trapped in social support, unionism and high debt levels. These things make them a much higher economic and default risk, perhaps that's really why they are smiling!

 

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/debt-to-gdp-ratio-by-country

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, likerdup1 said:

Let me apologize as my previous post wasn't kind and I see that now. That's wrong of me.

 

My point about Thailand being a poor country is that it has a low GDP/PCI compared to most all western countries. That fact that their leaders take advantage of the citizens and get rich has been the case for many many years. (Same with Phils and many other SE Asian countries)

 

My point is that the current state of affairs more than likely doesn't have anything to do with your perception that Thais aren't smiling that much theses days.

 

It is more likely about where you go and live than anything.

Over decades I visited everywhere in LOS except Issan. What I've been saying is that based on what I saw, the smile left LOS long ago, so nothing at all to do with present or covid situation.

 

IMO the smile was progressively lost as Thailand became more like the west, and people stopped smiling in western countries I lived in a very long time ago.

It's a bit like whistling, which is something people used to do in public when they were happy. I haven't heard anyone whistling in public for most of my life.

 

IMO something has gone very wrong in this Brave New World of ours, and I doubt it will ever get fixed- certainly not in my lifetime.

[save the frogs]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO the smile was progressively lost as Thailand became more like the west, and people stopped smiling in western countries I lived in a very long time ago.

yep.

i stopped smiling a long time ago.

the world is a harsh place, man.

so i don't expect anyone else to smile. 

[Kwasaki]

8 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

I was just hoping to have a link to send them as the latest scam from them is they are hungry for food, but refuse to sell their phones..not THAT hungry i guess! ????

I wouldn't know where to look for links, don't know what kind of person or persons ask you for money if they have the lastest mobile they obviously are not poor.

If there Thai women they never can have enough money. ????

 

I would say there is Thai govt information about what the govt will give in certain circumstances.

Obviously written in Thai.

 

Electric 5/15 info is also available written in Thai.

 

The govt money availability is for poor people at certain age or with disabilities of all kinds. 

 

I only witness it because some of my wifes family is next door to us and get rice and money every month. 

 

Free electric 5/15 I get in my farmhouse with just small fridge and a night light.

I get charged sometimes if I use the air-con a lot which I have in a separate office room. 

[sidneybear]

Thailand reflects the temperament of the observer, so cheer up and Thais will smile at you again. 

[ravip]

Just a fleating thought...

Have you ever realised that the Thai people are a million times more tolerant than most of the foreigners visiting Thailand?

[rose33]

'Thailand: Deadly Destination' by John Stapleton costs $6 as Amazon ebook.

 

Provides many facts & a decent analysis of the overall treatment of non-Thais in Thailand.

[IvorBiggun2]

58 minutes ago, rose33 said:

'Thailand: Deadly Destination' by John Stapleton

Quote

 

Most people go to Thailand for sex and drugs. You attract these sort of people and you get what you attract. Simple.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2833369/Thailand-one-dangerous-tourist-destinations-Earth-Ex-pat-investigation-lifts-lid-dark-Land-Smiles.html

[rose33]

1 hour ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2833369/Thailand-one-dangerous-tourist-destinations-Earth-Ex-pat-investigation-lifts-lid-dark-Land-Smiles.html

 

17 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Couple of things about that.

 

Yes, the Thais have loads of different smiles, and one has to grow up in the culture to understand them, so farangs tend to misinterpret their smiles, eg a farang might think a girl smiling at him is because she likes him, when she is actually thinking that the farang is a revoltingly gross fat b'tard with bad breath and no hair.

 

Thailand is NOT a poor country. It's very, very wealthy, but most of the wealth ( as always ) is concentrated in few hands.

Yes... Ha! There is a gleeful, impish Thai smile that means: "Farang, you're paying a very inflated price, and I am getting a lot of pleasure from that fact alone. I am also gaining status & face in front of my friends because I am showing off to them about ripping you off, and that makes me very happy." Seen it a few times now. It also has this element of "Whatchagunnadoaboutit? / So sue me!" in it.

 

You mention wealth inequality.

 

"Thailand now has the largest wealth gap in the world, according to a recent report by Credit Suisse. The Global Wealth Report and Databook, published in December 2018, showed that the richest 1% in Thailand now controls almost 67% of the country’s wealth."

How does a country reach the top of that inequality chart? Which behaviours and skills are needed?

 

I'll leave forum members to ponder that over the weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

 https://www.aseantoday.com/2019/01/thailands-wealth-inequality-is-the-highest-in-the-world-what-does-this-mean-for-upcoming-elections/

[rose33]

4 hours ago, ravip said:

Just a fleating thought...

Have you ever realised that the Thai people are a million times more tolerant than most of the foreigners visiting Thailand?

Yeah, very tolerant: they have sex with people that no one else would. They do business with criminals that no one else would. I agree with you, they are very tolerant indeed.

[Mac Mickmanus]

6 hours ago, ravip said:

Just a fleating thought...

Have you ever realised that the Thai people are a million times more tolerant than most of the foreigners visiting Thailand?

I do disagree .

Thais generally don't tolerate getting upset or losing face or anything they they feel is disrespectful to them 

   They often seek vengeance for even the slightest upsettingment 

[Kwasaki]

9 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

yep..im aware of the scam.....i jut thought it would be fun to send them a link about it....kinda like when they ask me how long ive been here or if i speak thai before they decide whether to try and trick me..........just seems like to new trick going around with the TF girls......i also say they can become a female monk--free food!!

Correct they can go to there local temple and eat free. 

Many people in our village do,  my Mrs takes food to the temple sometimes for the volunteer people to cook.

[GinBoy2]

On 3/30/2023 at 4:24 PM, NONG CHOK said:

Thailand is far from the land of smiles when Thai women throw a wobbly. I know first hand as I've been married to an Isaan lady for the past 22 years.

Ditto Brother.

 

The wrath of an Isaan woman is to be much feared, no smiling involved!

 

Curiously I was visiting my son a few weeks ago, and the topic came up of 'keeping your head down' when Mom was on the warpath!

[NONG CHOK]

4 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Ditto Brother.

 

The wrath of an Isaan woman is to be much feared, no smiling involved!

 

Curiously I was visiting my son a few weeks ago, and the topic came up of 'keeping your head down' when Mom was on the warpath!

And don't worry about the old saying " let commonsense prevail " it simply doesn't happen. Unlike Thai guys we don't give our wives a decent slap. I'd rather stop her cash flow for a week. As mine comes back begging for mercy.

[thaibeachlovers]

19 hours ago, rose33 said:

'Thailand: Deadly Destination' by John Stapleton costs $6 as Amazon ebook.

 

Provides many facts & a decent analysis of the overall treatment of non-Thais in Thailand.

I was treated well by almost every Thai I interacted with.

IMO Stapleton can stick his book where the sun don't shine.

[thaibeachlovers]

45 minutes ago, NONG CHOK said:

And don't worry about the old saying " let commonsense prevail " it simply doesn't happen. Unlike Thai guys we don't give our wives a decent slap. I'd rather stop her cash flow for a week. As mine comes back begging for mercy.

That'd never have worked for me as my wife earned her own money and I didn't give her an "allowance".

[ravip]

19 hours ago, rose33 said:

'Thailand: Deadly Destination' by John Stapleton costs $6 as Amazon ebook.

 

Provides many facts & a decent analysis of the overall treatment of non-Thais in Thailand.

LOL...  Will John Stapleton be a millionaire in a month or two?

All the best!!!

[ravip]

15 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

I do disagree .

Thais generally don't tolerate getting upset or losing face or anything they they feel is disrespectful to them 

   They often seek vengeance for even the slightest upsettingment 

I guess, its a matter of opinion and per individuals choice of society. In ANY country, there will be characters similar to this - but NOT in general.

[ravip]

17 hours ago, rose33 said:

Yeah, very tolerant: they have sex with people that no one else would. They do business with criminals that no one else would. I agree with you, they are very tolerant indeed.

Great!

The self description is accepted.

[rose33]

Since 2021 there has been a Thai Facebook group, and matching Thai Twitter hashtag. The translation into English is " let's move country ". It's made up of Thais who are so growing so despondent about the situation in Thailand that they are trying to start a new life elsewhere. The Facebook group had 600,000 members within its first few days.