Is Thailand really the 'Land Of Smiles' in 2024?

[bob smith]

10 minutes ago, ChumpChange said:

Sticking to underage girls, aye? 

You sick animal. 

 

[ChumpChange]

17 minutes ago, bob smith said:

You sick animal. 

 

Projecting. 

[BigBruv]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

Time for a new slogan, then?

 

any suggestions?

 

bob.

 

Land of Snides

[BigBruv]

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Bob , Every post you make you are dissing Thai's ,I don't know why you

you still live here , You said once you were leaving and never coming

back .....when in reality you were a away for couple of days ......and

came back  🙄    sitting next to a man with dirty clothes , you in 3rd class

again Bob ,

 

regards worgeordie

 

 

Once people move to Thailand it's hard to move on, after realising it ain't all that, due to expenses.

(Inflation in western countries has really taken off)

 

[pgrahmm]

5 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Thais tend to wear new clean clothes , Westerners often wear old clothes and often unwashed .

   That T-shirt that you are wearing now , how long ago did you buy it and for how many days have you been wearing it ?

T-shirts are for around the house.... Polo shirts are for outside wear....At least that's my approach.....As soon as a t-shirt starts to fray at the collar or get stained they are repurposed ....

I have some of my old team/playing jerseys that are 10+ years old or more and essentially close to new ....

[Thingamabob]

Still the land of smiles by comparison with most other countries, in my opinion.

[bob smith]

1 minute ago, Thingamabob said:

Still the land of smiles by comparison with most other countries, in my opinion.

personally, I would call it the Land Of Avoiding Eye Contact in 2024.

 

bob.

[Skeptic7]

I've referred to it as Land Of Snarls for the past decade and a half. 

[USNret]

16 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

LOS hasn't been smiling since this century started, IMO. My GF had a wonderful smile last century, but come 2000 it vanished.

How long have you been with her? Maybe 24 years lol

[JimMorris]

Land of Shwings

 

[fittobethaied]

17 hours ago, Will B Good said:

The masks on the girls are brilliant.....with those asian eyes everyone one of them looks stunning.

Until they take the mask off, then it's pimples, crooked teeth and a botched nose job!

 

[newbee2022]

17 hours ago, bob smith said:

I'll be completely honest, the vast majority of Thais I see out and about these days are still wearing masks, so it's practically impossible to see if they are smiling or not. And the ones that aren't wearing masks don't seem to be smiling much. Even eye contact these days is difficult to come by. 

 

Is Thailand still deserving of its famous slogan 'The Land Of Smiles' in 2024?

 

Bob. 

 

 

In my area they're not wearing masks. But probably in polluted areas or riding bikes.

However, I agree with you. Due to the fact of increasing prices it's hard to smile I guess.🙏

[bob smith]

41 minutes ago, fittobethaied said:

Until they take the mask off, then it's pimples, crooked teeth and a botched nose job!

 

mate.

 

I went for an oil massage the other week.

she was wearing a mask, had a cracking body and the eyes were magnificent.

before she was about to tug me off I asked her to remove the mask,

god I wish I hadn't!

 

talk about frightening. 

 

Most thai girls actually look better when wearing a mask.

Mrs. Smith looks amazing with a bag over her head!

 

bob.

[bob smith]

7 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

In my area they're not wearing masks. But probably in polluted areas or riding bikes.

However, I agree with you. Due to the fact of increasing prices it's hard to smile I guess.🙏

....doesn't stop them going into debt for the latest iphone though, does it?

 

Thai's severe lack budgeting skills.

 

bob.

[newbee2022]

15 minutes ago, bob smith said:

....doesn't stop them going into debt for the latest iphone though, does it?

 

Thai's severe lack budgeting skills.

 

bob.

Debts? If you don't want losing face you put yourself into the wheel. So, if you decide to forgo with the latest iPhone you will increase your debts instead of saving money.🙏

[ChumpChange]

1 hour ago, fittobethaied said:

Until they take the mask off, then it's pimples, crooked teeth and a botched nose job!

 

I wish it stopped with the nose, but these days it's also the eyelids, chin, and lips. A shame more of them don't spend that money on dental work instead. 

[ChumpChange]

3 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Debts? If you don't want losing face you put yourself into the wheel. So, if you decide to forgo with the latest iPhone you will increase your debts instead of saving money.🙏

Most are able to buy an iPhone via monthly payments from either DTAC or AIS. So most are able to pay it off over a 2-3 year period. Otherwise, I assume most would not be able to acquire a new iPhone as so many of them do. 

[newbee2022]

36 minutes ago, ChumpChange said:

Most are able to buy an iPhone via monthly payments from either DTAC or AIS. So most are able to pay it off over a 2-3 year period. Otherwise, I assume most would not be able to acquire a new iPhone as so many of them do. 

Well, but monthly payments for an 2000 Baht phone are not the same as for an 30.000 Baht phone. But Thais don't want to lose face. That's the point!

And debts increase as I stated.

[ujayujay]

19 hours ago, bob smith said:

I'll be completely honest, the vast majority of Thais I see out and about these days are still wearing masks, so it's practically impossible to see if they are smiling or not. And the ones that aren't wearing masks don't seem to be smiling much. Even eye contact these days is difficult to come by. 

 

Is Thailand still deserving of its famous slogan 'The Land Of Smiles' in 2024?

 

Bob. 

 

 

They shurely feel uncomfortable being stared at lasciviously by old grumpies 

[jippytum]

I think compared to twenty five years ago the Thai population seem less happy than before. Personally i think mass immigration  may be a factor. Some locations are overwhelmed with foreign visitors who's bad behaviour seem to be on the increase. 

[ChumpChange]

3 minutes ago, jippytum said:

Personally i think mass immigration  may be a factor.

Mass immigration? In Thailand? Since Covid there are likely less long term foreigners living in Thailand. And wait until Tony doubles the financial requirements again for retirement visas. The numbers will be even less. 

[nickmondo]

Used to be, but its very different now.

I would call it..........the Land where the majority of traders, taxis, market sellers try to short change you  or rip you off.

[bob smith]

Just now, nickmondo said:

Used to be, but its very different now.

I would call it..........the Land where the majority of traders, taxis, market sellers try to short change you  or rip you off.

well said nick.

 

sadly I agree with you.

 

Thailand sure ain't what it once was!

 

bob.

[Hummin]

21 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Its just stupid people who walk around smiling for no apparent  reason 

 

Being socially secure, feeling relaxed and generally happy,  people notice, and usually smile back at you. 

 

But then you have those walking around seeking attention for some reason, god sake, behave. I guess it is those who complain Thailand is not the smiling country anymore!

 

One reason is I guess, they are getting tired of too many stupid rude , cheap tourists who complain Thailand is not the same anymore. Just see all the Thai bashing here, it will finally take a toll on the locals, which I believe it does day by day.

[bob smith]

8 minutes ago, Hummin said:

they are getting tired of too many stupid rude , cheap tourists who complain

are they??

 

because they have just announced the biggest visa overhaul in years to attract more of what you have just mentioned..

 

do try and keep up!

 

bob.

[Hummin]

4 minutes ago, bob smith said:

are they??

 

because they have just announced the biggest visa overhaul in years to attract more of what you have just mentioned..

 

do try and keep up!

 

bob.

Local people, not the army, government who control and make the money, while normal people work their butts off for nothing, and have to meet those Quality tourists they attract! 

You try to keep up

Back in the days, Thai baht was cheap, everything was cheaper, the locals made more money with less investments, less risk, but now the country is overflooded by cheap tourism who exploit the best sites and locations for little money, and complain. 

Thais are tired of the negativity it comes with. Before there was in my opinion very few who complained, and those who complained was those who found love with a professional, and lost

Now, everything is wrong for some people, and you meet them everywhere

 

The absolute worst foreigners I meet are those who complain about Thailand, and that is when my wife sits next to me, and also their gf or wife too if they have one! 

A few times I have told them, and some understand, some not. Can imagine if any officials reading these forums, or Thais, how they would feel reading the general opinions western have of them and their country

[bob smith]

18 minutes ago, Hummin said:

The absolute worst foreigners I meet are those who complain about Thailand, and that is when my wife sits next to me, and also their gf or wife too if they have one! 

A few times I have told them, and some understand, some not. Can imagine if any officials reading these forums, or Thais, how they would feel reading the general opinions western have of them and their country

So what?

 

Foreigners have the right to complain when they are paying for a service and that service isn't up to standard, as is the case most of the time here..

 

Thailand should up their game instead of taking everything for granted and treating farangs like walking ATM machines..

 

If you feel sorry for those that work in the hospitality sector for triple or quadruple the daily minimum wage, then tell these 'poor souls' to go work in the rice farms for a day.

 

I'm sure after that they will be back at their desks with gleaming grins on their faces, knowing that their life is a hell of a lot easier than some real poor soul slogging it out under the burning hot sun!

 

bob.

[Hummin]

11 minutes ago, bob smith said:

So what?

 

Foreigners have the right to complain when they are paying for a service and that service isn't up to standard, as is the case most of the time here..

 

Thailand should up their game instead of taking everything for granted and treating farangs like walking ATM machines..

If you feel sorry for those that work in the hospitality sector for triple or quadruple the daily minimum wage then tell these Thais to go work in the rice farms for a day.

 

I'm sure after that they will be back at their desks with gleaming grins on their faces, knowing that their life is a hell of a lot easier than slogging out in the sun!

 

bob.

well, being social smart, can help people to have a better happier life, some get it, some do not!

[bob smith]

Just now, Hummin said:

well, being social smart, can help people to have a better happier life, some get it, some do not!

whatever lad.

 

 

[Hummin]

12 minutes ago, bob smith said:

whatever lad.

 

 

The less people complain, the lower their shoulders are, and in general more happy and easy to hang out with! It is a fact! 

 

People who take Thailand for what it is, have a better life, but the day I start complaining like some do here, I'm long gone, and will never look back!

 

I realise the problems Thailand has, and the new confusing tax rules, make me slowly move back to my home country! Do I complain? No, and why should I? I'd rather adopt, or do something about it, because I'm just a guest here, not my country, never will be, and Thailand has made that clear for me. I either accept, or leave! 

 

Make the best out of what you have where you are today, or do something about it! B  ing around day after day? Same over and over?