Is Thailand Really 'the Land Of Smiles?"

[mikethevigoman]

I think its more of a smirk than a smile

[Ulysses G.]

Thais dont smile anymore than any other people I've met that's for sure...

Are you blind or just delusional?

[ade100]

I always think of Phuket as the Land Of no Smiles. The people seem to be fixed in a permanent grimace or frown. My GF says it’s because they are so hard working. The only other place in the world I have been to where people rarely smile is northern Portugal.

However, having read through the posts, I am clearly outnumbered in this opinion. But seriously, every time I arrive in Pookers from Singapore the first that strikes me is “why is no one smiling here, is it really that bad here?”

[Ulysses G.]

I always think of Phuket as the Land Of no Smiles. The people seem to be fixed in a permanent grimace or frown. My GF says it’s because they are so hard working. The only other place in the world I have been to where people rarely smile is northern Portugal.

I used to go to Patong a lot in the early 1990s and I've never seen such friendly, smiling people. Eventually, the prices on food and lodging got so absurdly high that I started going to other beaches instead. Hawaii offers more for one's money than Patong.

It sounds lilke it has gone downhill in other ways as well.

[technocracy]

The real land of smiles is next door to the north east . ..

[astral]

Of course it is.........

My Thai stepson once scolded me for not smiling, reminding me that Thailand is "Muang Yim".

He was right of course and received an apology and a hug.

[sassienie]

A photo`s worth a thousand words.

[Sarge]

In my hometown of Doncaster, UK ........any smile at a stranger is likely to produce one of two reactions............A blank stare......or usually.........." What the <deleted> you smiling at <deleted> ! " Followed by a headbutt.

Hence the reason for relocating.

555 lol what a friendly & cultured place! a must see tourist spot in England.

btw, were you wearing the Leeds United AFC jersey when you were doing the smiling?

[007]

Thailand IMO is as much the "Land of Smiles" as America is the "Land of Milk and Honey". In any case, the smiles seem to be a way of getting something (in a monetary sense, social status, service, etc.), rather than a sign of 'friendliness' or 'happiness'.

[qwertz]

Thailand IMO is as much the "Land of Smiles" as America is the "Land of Milk and Honey". In any case, the smiles seem to be a way of getting something (in a monetary sense, social status, service, etc.), rather than a sign of 'friendliness' or 'happiness'.

Don't know if I agree all the way with you.

I'll grant, there is a lot of that but compare riding a baht bus there to riding a tram here in Germany and Thailand wins hands down.

And the smiles are mostly from peole who expect nothing from you.

Go around smiling here and somebody is likely to call the cops and have you arrested as a loony, or worse - a pervert.

[vagabond48]

A photo`s worth a thousand words.

You know you were supposed to ask my permission to post my photo. Luckily that one was taken on one of my better days.

[Gary A]

Not real smiles? I live upcountry and try my best to keep a low profile. The old saying, "out of sight, out of mind" rings true to me. I am a people watcher a lot of the time. Over the years I have decided that Thai people are easily amused. I watch the entire family riding in a trailer pulled by their iron buffalo and they are usually all grinning and amazingly enjoying the ride. I watch three people riding a motorbike while it is raining and they too are grinning and seemingly don't mind the rain. There are very few disasters here in Thailand. What a farang considers a serious problem is shrugged off by the Thai people. Life is too short to get upset about things you have no control over and us farangs are too stupid to realize that fact.

A good case in point; One day when we came home, there were people dancing in the street near our home. I asked my wife why they were dancing. She went to find out why they were celebrating. She came home an hour later and told me that they just felt like dancing and that she had joined in. NEVER have I seem such a thing in the US.

[johnnyk]

They live in the moment and enjoy what they can while most falang are busy making plans or fretting about stuff beyond their control. The places in Thailand where they smile least are the falang ghettoes.

Edited July 20, 2008 by johnnyk