Land of Smiles - really?

[rumak]

24 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I could not possibly agree more. I think the Thai people are resilient, I think the Thai people are very optimistic in their outlook toward life, they've maintained their sense of humor, they've maintained their playful spirit, and I quite often see Thais playing and joking with each other and having a good time, even though they may be bored to death sitting in a store with no customers, they still seem to make the most of it.

 

Their attitude in general is the polar opposite of the attitude of most westerners, and I find that so refreshing, and for me it makes living here very enjoyable.

 

But one has to consider that the Thai people are relatively intuitive and they tend to react to the energy that we're putting out there, so if we have a sour attitude, if we are bitter, if we are not being warm and friendly, they simply respond to that and we therefore get a somewhat twisted interpretation of who they are based on who we are. 

 

Remember to copy and save that 007 .    In a few sentences its sums up , in a general explanation,  why members on here.... and i'm sure a great number of disenchanted expats that move to Thailand....... are not happy,  their lives not any better than before,  and the inevitable bitterness overtakes them .   

I had to learn Thai,  learn about interacting with Thais ( no, not being weak.... just being calmer and less "farang like" ) ,   and gradually I relaxed , stop trying to change everything,  and learned how to avoid the bad stuff.  ( a lot of that "bad stuff"  being , like anywhere,  with the opposite sex ) 

"they've maintained their sense of humor, they've maintained their playful spirit," ...................... Yep !   In spite of everything  🙂

[jwest10]

5 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

until you get out of the tourist areas... 

Village life is a proper place for engaging ith the local population and good and bad everywhere in the world for sure!!!

[BobBKK]

Thailand used to be more of a "Land of Smiles," but it has changed a lot since the last army coup.

[1FinickyOne]

21 minutes ago, susanlea said:

I think Thais don't care about last month. Farangs still care about 1945. Thai approach is better.

very much agree - - I am not sure about how many of them care about tomorrow either, though my wife references "future" when she finds good land to buy. 

[1FinickyOne]

14 minutes ago, jwest10 said:

Village life is a proper place for engaging ith the local population and good and bad everywhere in the world for sure!!!

Yes, agreed. I spent near 20 years living in a farming village and gained a lot from the experience. 

[susanlea]

1 minute ago, 1FinickyOne said:

very much agree - - I am not sure about how many of them care about tomorrow either, though my wife references "future" when she finds good land to buy. 

Thais know how to cook and they know gold and land go up in price. 

[Will B Good]

All experiences are coloured by initial expectations.....it makes experiences relative.......if you thought this really was the land of smiles then yes, you would get a severe shock.

 

If you thought you were coming to a third world country, run by morons who abuse their own citizens then things wouldn't seem so bad.

[BigStar]

21 hours ago, ChrisThailand1977 said:

I know each person's experience of Thailand is different, but Thailand is often called the Land of Smiles. Is that really a fair description nowadays? My feeling is that people will smile as long as they can get money from you. As soon as they've got it, it's over with the friendliness.

 

 

This has been ANF Poster Forum Gospel for about 2 decades now, repeated ad nauseam. You aren't owed anything.

 

21 hours ago, ChrisThailand1977 said:

I've been here for 3 years, but I'm not happy really.

 

And how's your Thai by now? Emirates is ready anytime you are.

 

 

[harryviking]

22 hours ago, ChrisThailand1977 said:

Hi everyone

 

I know each person's experience of Thailand is different, but Thailand is often called the Land of Smiles. Is that really a fair description nowadays? My feeling is that people will smile as long as they can get money from you. As soon as they've got it, it's over with the friendliness.

 

Thais seem extremely hypocritical to me. I feel like I can't really trust anyone. Even Thai friends say this. Is it true?

 

Generally, the country seems very backward in many ways. The majority of people are hugely exploited, but they just seem to accept it as if it were normal. Perhaps that's the deferent culture of the Thais.

 

I've been here for 3 years, but I'm not happy really. Maybe I've just had a bad experience, which is not representative of the country as a whole.

 

Any thoughts on this?

 

Chris

A smile when greeting you is just as it is done all over the globe! Just a way to be polite. It does not mean anything special and will go away after "greeting" finished.

[NicoBKK]

My 25 + years experience travelling and living in Bangkok - used to be, no longer LOS. Eyes on mobiles, annoyed expression. Better Vietnam or Indonesia for genuine smiles 

[1FinickyOne]

3 hours ago, susanlea said:

Thais know how to cook and they know gold and land go up in price. 

Yes, that is pretty true - my wife has done terrific investing in farmland... not only does the land increase in value, but the family makes a living farming it... and she is terrific at cleaning too. 

[khunPer]

On 7/1/2024 at 9:53 AM, ChrisThailand1977 said:

Hi everyone

 

I know each person's experience of Thailand is different, but Thailand is often called the Land of Smiles. Is that really a fair description nowadays? My feeling is that people will smile as long as they can get money from you. As soon as they've got it, it's over with the friendliness.

 

Thais seem extremely hypocritical to me. I feel like I can't really trust anyone. Even Thai friends say this. Is it true?

 

Generally, the country seems very backward in many ways. The majority of people are hugely exploited, but they just seem to accept it as if it were normal. Perhaps that's the deferent culture of the Thais.

 

I've been here for 3 years, but I'm not happy really. Maybe I've just had a bad experience, which is not representative of the country as a whole.

 

Any thoughts on this?

 

Chris

Try to smile to the Thais, it works well for me, it's really Land of Smiles...😊

[Photoguy21]

On 7/1/2024 at 2:53 PM, ChrisThailand1977 said:

Hi everyone

 

I know each person's experience of Thailand is different, but Thailand is often called the Land of Smiles. Is that really a fair description nowadays? My feeling is that people will smile as long as they can get money from you. As soon as they've got it, it's over with the friendliness.

 

Thais seem extremely hypocritical to me. I feel like I can't really trust anyone. Even Thai friends say this. Is it true?

 

Generally, the country seems very backward in many ways. The majority of people are hugely exploited, but they just seem to accept it as if it were normal. Perhaps that's the deferent culture of the Thais.

 

I've been here for 3 years, but I'm not happy really. Maybe I've just had a bad experience, which is not representative of the country as a whole.

 

Any thoughts on this?

 

Chris

Would you trust people back in your home country? I wouldn't but I do find the Thai's i meet are not trying to scam you.

[Bday Prang]

7 hours ago, ChrisThailand1977 said:

My original thread had absolutely nothing to do with my being gay

so why did you mention it ?  Do you think others are interested ?, they are not

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, harryviking said:

A smile when greeting you is just as it is done all over the globe! Just a way to be polite. It does not mean anything special and will go away after "greeting" finished.

Well I sure don't get a smile when I'm greeted in America anymore, it's an incredibly rare thing unless you're in a small town. Just getting an American to smile or laugh seems like a major accomplishment these days, so I completely disagree that it's the same everywhere. It is different here. 

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, NicoBKK said:

My 25 + years experience travelling and living in Bangkok - used to be, no longer LOS. Eyes on mobiles, annoyed expression. Better Vietnam or Indonesia for genuine smiles 

 

Still lots of smiles upcountry. Maybe less than in the past (live is more of a rat race for everyone) but still warmth in interactions, assuming you speak Thai and reciprocate the warmth.

 

 

[john donson]

you sound like that other new member with such insights on thai life being here a few weeks

[cowellandrew]

3 years!

Wait until you have been there 30 years

🐘☻🐒😂

[Luuk Chaai]

On 7/1/2024 at 7:19 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

Why are you still here if you are not happy?

Where do you think you would be happier? And why don't you move to that happier place?

 

Personally, I am happy here since decades. Obviously not everything is great all the time. But I don't know any better alternative. 

I just recently read about Finland and that they are always #1 on the happiness scale. Really? With those temperatures.

 

 

you can blame it on the Brain Freeze !

[Luuk Chaai]

On 7/1/2024 at 7:57 PM, 4MyEgo said:

 

I don't really have much to do with Thai's, been here 10 years and am very happy, suffice to say, I don't need to mix, and yes, I have a language barrier as well as I don't speak Thai and don't wish to learn it at my age.

 

for fun ..  I tell my friends / family back in the U.S.  

The weather is great, the food is fantastic, the country and landscape is beautiful  .. 

but I can't speak the language and hold a conversation with anyone,,,,, "Priceless"  

 

and when I'm out alone shopping ..  I get asked quite often from cashiers,,  can you speak Thai ?

My reply,,   ( in Thai  ) is "I can speak Thai a little..   but my wife does not want me to speak Thai so I can't talk to beautiful women ...

 that alway's gets them cracking up ( and blushing )

  

[4MyEgo]

On 7/3/2024 at 7:30 AM, Luuk Chaai said:

"I can speak Thai a little..   but my wife does not want me to speak Thai so I can't talk to beautiful women ...

 

Oh no, if my wife were like that, I would be taking those gals out to dinner, just to stick it to her, fortunately for me, my wife is not the jealous type and has no pompem with me flirting with the youngens 🙂

 

[4MyEgo]

On 7/1/2024 at 11:35 PM, bob smith said:

...I see them on a daily basis!

 

 

Hmm, bust be your cologne 🙂

 

[ChrisThailand1977]

On 7/2/2024 at 4:15 PM, Bday Prang said:

so why did you mention it ?  Do you think others are interested ?, they are not

 

I just said I had a partner, and then the word "he". Should I have lied?

 

I hate comments like this, as if I'm trying to draw attention to something just by mentioning it.

[ChrisThailand1977]

On 7/2/2024 at 8:18 PM, john donson said:

you sound like that other new member with such insights on thai life being here a few weeks

 

It's my own lived experience and I don't claim to have any insights at all

[ChrisThailand1977]

On 7/2/2024 at 12:27 PM, Will B Good said:

All experiences are coloured by initial expectations.....it makes experiences relative.......if you thought this really was the land of smiles then yes, you would get a severe shock.

 

If you thought you were coming to a third world country, run by morons who abuse their own citizens then things wouldn't seem so bad.

 

That's an interesting point. I'll admit that I thought my experience would be a bit more positive. I'm horrified by the corruption and incompetence, and the environmental destruction, it's considerably worse than I thought.

 

If I was an average Thai, I wouldn't be smiling much to be honest... They're treated like slaves by their own government and companies.

 

But it's become a lot worse where I come from in the last 20 years. So that's not something that would make me leave necessarily.

 

There are more important things in life. And there are good and bad people everywhere.

[ChrisThailand1977]

On 7/2/2024 at 11:40 AM, 1FinickyOne said:

 

I agree entirely with both of you - if you walk around with a smile and are pleasant, that is what comes back to you

 

Nice to read that👍

[ChrisThailand1977]

On 7/2/2024 at 3:55 PM, Photoguy21 said:

Would you trust people back in your home country? I wouldn't but I do find the Thai's i meet are not trying to scam you.

 

More than Thais, yes. Why? I don't know. Unconscious bias? Racism? Well, my other half is Thai. I'm definitely not racist. But for some reason I've become extremely suspicious of people's motives. Perhaps I've just read too many negative stories on forums like this... It's clouded my opinion and I admit it is probably ridiculous.

[Photoguy21]

On 7/4/2024 at 6:03 PM, ChrisThailand1977 said:

 

More than Thais, yes. Why? I don't know. Unconscious bias? Racism? Well, my other half is Thai. I'm definitely not racist. But for some reason I've become extremely suspicious of people's motives. Perhaps I've just read too many negative stories on forums like this... It's clouded my opinion and I admit it is probably ridiculous.

Probably because you know the culture better back home.

[ChrisThailand1977]

On 7/6/2024 at 12:56 PM, Photoguy21 said:

Probably because you know the culture better back home.

 

Probably