I remember 10 years ago it was obvious being in Thailand when coming across the smiling people of this country.

Putting the rule to a test I was visiting different places yesterday here in Phuket (shopping malls, markets, Restaurants and Bars, paying attention when getting one of these smiles - with a disillusioning result: maybe one out of five lived up to the LoS image. When "provoking" a smile the figures raised to 2 out of 5 (especially when shopping...); I hope it weren't my teeth or face which have contributed to these results

Surely it varies from region to region; up in Chiang Mai I found myself again in LoS.

Any similar experiences?

When i was in udon thani last year i got nothing but smiles from people i knew and total strangers that you meet, nothing but smiles. But I always smile first most of the time and usually get a smile in return.

I reckon Bangkok's also less so nowadays in the limited time that I've been here, or maybe I'm just too familiar with the place.

Coming from a grim place in the UK where people hardly ever smile, it was one of the first things for me I noticed about Thailand, but perhaps I missed the fact it was a good few people smiling, but not everybody.

Any other opinions?

I would say the Land of Smiles is still a fair name.

It may have diminished a little, but not much.

I was in Buriram last weekend and received many beaming smiles and

friendly greetings, just as I do here in Chonburi province.

Since I got married I do not go to the market so much,

but when I do stall holders are asking where I have been.......

Good to be treated as one of the community.

Southerners have never been known for easy smiles. Call it a cultural thing among many southerners.

Some of my students used to tell me (with a bit of seriousness) that people in NST (Nakorn sri Thammarat) only smile when they're angry at you...

Actually very warm people after you know them. Once you've established yourself, it's not easy to get them to stop smiling, in my experience

Smile first, and see what happens

Smile first, and see what happens 

ok:

Smile first, and see what happens

I liked that , good answer .

I agree: smile first!

I do find the mood swings a bit on Phuket - but all you have to do is crack a little joke, be a little friendly - and out comes the famous smile.

I've often felt they WANT you do initiate the fun - then it's easy from there.

Patong seems the worst - esp in low season - I guess no one is making any money. But, luckily, I don't get to Patong often - where I live (Cherng Talay) has a nice small village feel to it - and the people tend to be quite cordial.

Studies have shown that smiles are contagious.............so try SMILING first.......

sometimes people are shy and need warming up first.........some women are afraid that if they smile at you first, you may think they were trying to pick you up! (and vice versa....the men too)

Smile first always works here in Chonburi. They often beat me to it.

I reckon Bangkok's also less so nowadays in the limited time that I've been here, or maybe I'm just too familiar with the place.

Coming from a grim place in the UK where people hardly ever smile, it was one of the first things for me I noticed about Thailand, but perhaps I missed the fact it was a good few people smiling, but not everybody.

Any other opinions?

In the uk, it is conscrude as a sign of madness to smile at nothing or people think you have wind. Why smile at nothing.

I remember once on a bus, something tickled me and I had a fit of the giggles, looking around at the straight faces made me laugh even more. I'm sure they thought I was an idiot. Whoever said laughter was contagious?

sometimes people are shy and need warming up first.......

Is this you?? SK

sometimes people are shy and need warming up first.......

Is this you?? SK

Warming up ? Jeez are you smiling or making babies ?

Studies have shown that smiles are contagious.............so try SMILING first.......

sometimes people are shy and need warming up first.........some women are afraid that if they smile at you first, you may think they were trying to pick you up! (and vice versa....the men too)

Yes, a smile is also sometimes a 'salesman's' calling card

An abstract out of "A Brief History of Smile"©:

"...When in social situations we meet people for the first time, we notice if they do not smile, and may form the impression that they are unfriendly or cold. In some cases we will recognize that a painfully shy person finds this situation unbearably difficult, and does not smile for that reason. But if the person we just met does smile, we tend to accept it as an expression of good manners, and refrain from reading this smile in any particular way...This may or may not make a difference whether we like this person, find him or her attractive, or esle conclude that we have little in common. In other words, no matter what follows or how quickly, the opening gambit tends to be conventional".

Would you buy this (book)?

An abstract out of "A Brief History of Smile"©:

"...When in social situations we meet people for the first time, we notice if they do not smile, and may form the impression that they are unfriendly or cold. In some cases we will recognize that a painfully shy person finds this situation unbearably difficult, and does not smile for that reason. But if the person we just met does smile, we tend to accept it as an expression of good manners, and refrain from reading this smile in any particular way...This may or may not make a difference whether we like this person, find him or her attractive, or esle conclude that we have little in common. In other words, no matter what follows or how quickly, the opening gambit tends to be conventional".

Would you buy this (book)?

Only if:

1. I was lying on a beach and using it as a disguise to make people think I was reading it, when , in fact, I was staring agog at the beautiful thing in the water. just over the top of my book...

2. It was Nap Time.

3. I had no tv or internet...or ears.

I guessed so... :ROFL:

He should have just summarized with, "I don't know"...Or, in Thailand, "Up to you!"