What Makes You Smile In Los?

[delmersomsri]

Tired of reading and hearing about the stressful and disturbing events that farangs experience everyday here in Thailand so I thought that we should share moments and events which bring a smile to our face and laughter in our hearts. I'll start by sharing some things that brighten my day.

• Children playing
  
• Parents or grandparents sharing tender moments with their child or grandchild
  
• Children practicing their english as they see you and then giving you a big grin and giggle
  

There are more but these come to mind at the moment. Put a on.

[jpolten]

Tired of reading and hearing about the stressful and disturbing events that farangs experience everyday here in Thailand so I thought that we should share moments and events which bring a smile to our face and laughter in our hearts. I'll start by sharing some things that brighten my day.

• Children playing
  
• Parents or grandparents sharing tender moments with their child or grandchild
  
• Children practicing their english as they see you and then giving you a big grin and giggle
  

There are more but these come to mind at the moment. Put a on.

Remember my first time in thailand,this may sound a bit corny...but i felt some kind of peace that made me smile!

*yes children playing without a care in the world made me smile too...but the smile faded a bit thinking what there in for in the future!

*simple thing's like people genuinely questioning how was your day!

*Friendly people

*even some of the scammers made me smile and laugh

*beautiful ladies and cheap beer

*just being in thailand

[RoastLamb]

Dark green hills with a dark blue sky backdrop

Beautiful girls on motorbikes

Sliced pineapple in bags

The heat

[MikeSoi11]

i give the thai beggar ten baht so he wai me and look so beautiful and kind and happy when he do it. thai people will take care of their fallen and do not need gov help for it.

[jackdanielsesq]

Whenever I land in Thailand - or even when I am en-route there - I have that warm, gooey feeling of coming home.

I feel more comfortable in this non English speaking country than my native California most times.

More secure, less vulnerable to violent crime. Which aint bad for a so called 3rd worlder. Not bad at all.

Perhaps the biggest kick is knowing so many of the W&W set are so wrong.

BR>Jack

[IanForbes]

Like Jackdaniel above, I get a warm, excited feeling when I return to Thailand. It's like lifting 40 years off my life and I feel like a kid again. I positively dance around like I own the place. it is a feeling that is hard to describe. It only really happened when I started staying for a long time in Thailand. Prior to that it was only like taking holidays and just another adventure. My whole life has been a series of holidays, so going to Thailand was just something new. However, once I became a semi-resident it is like coming home each time I return and gives me a warm feeling.

I get a smile riding my motorcycle in the hot sun and zipping along the curving highways. I enjoy the traffic and it's like a real live video game... only dangerous. Some degree of danger always adds spice to life, but I have to keep it in check for my own good.

I love children, and it's easy to play with them in Thailand... providing I do it in the open where others can see there is nothing bad happening. The kids enjoy it and I don't have to worry about their occasional temper tantrums. If I were to interact with children in North America I would be accused of being a paedophile. Happy children always put a smile on my face.

The opportunity to flirt with pretty ladies always puts a smile on my face and I can act like I'm in my twenties even though I'm triple that age. I know it's only make believe, but that doesn't take away the fun of it. I can flirt, the girls can flirt and we are all having a good time. What happens after that is nobodies business but our own.

I love the highened awareness of all the senses: smell, touch, hearing and fear. Yes, there is cause to be afraid if you are in the crazy Thai traffic. Within walking 100 feet your sense of smell can go into overdrive with the fragrance of flowers, the stench of sewers, the fumes of traffic and the odour of cooking. The soft touch of a beautiful woman is divine and their velvety skin is one of the worlds greatest pleasures.

Then there are all the things in nature unique to Thailand that fills my heart every day.

[Datsun240Z]

People that care about other people without money involved.

[longstebe]

Standing on those beautiful beaches looking out to sea.

Riding the bike through the country roads amongst all the green.

Thai people talking and laughing with each other.

The look on peoples faces whilst inside the small villages,probably never seeing a farang before.

Old Thai women chewing tobacco.

Reading IanForbes long posts .

[junki3korean]

enjoying cheese bites and a long neck of chang! Jackfruit and Mangostein!! makes me happy!

Drinking whiskey and eating somtam phu with the family in the village with kareoke is a must!

[junki3korean]

Issan makes me happy also.....

[Gerontion]

Shopping for food in the market.

The smiles my neighbours routinely greet me with, even when (or especially when) I'm in a shitty mood.

My wife.

[sanook2me]

Standing on those beautiful beaches looking out to sea.

Thai people talking and laughing with each other.

Old Thai women chewing tobacco.

Reading IanForbes long posts .

Someone with too much time and thinks too mut .. How does he have time to enjoy the rest of it......?

Makes me smile....

The 7-11/Family Marts

Freezing cold and full of wonderful colourful drinks advertising things such as - Amino - Zinc - Collagen

Sales promotion girls in company outfits....

10 baht to play video games in Central

The general happiness and vibe of Thai people around the places i live and visit

(i don't live or visit central BKK or sexpat tourist areas very often)

Rotten eggs for this one..but not knowing one moaning groaning horrible expat who enjoys depressing people

Going to the cinema is a great cheap experience..i go at least once a week..comfortable/loud/cold/popcorn/empty/cheap..

Thai food...nam tok..laab...tom yam gung.....yam khor mu yang..... as spicy as you can make it chef

Thai nightclubs with live bands and lots of pretty ladies/loads of whiskey and crap dancing but so much fun....

No fear of violence when out and about in the evening..

[ThaiBasil]

Tired of reading and hearing about the stressful and disturbing events that farangs experience everyday here in Thailand so I thought that we should share moments and events which bring a smile to our face and laughter in our hearts. I'll start by sharing some things that brighten my day.

• Children playing
  
• Parents or grandparents sharing tender moments with their child or grandchild
  
• Children practicing their english as they see you and then giving you a big grin and giggle
  

There are more but these come to mind at the moment. Put a on.

Where to start there are so many things, okay here are a couple:

- Beautiful women

- Naked women

- Naked beautiful women

- Women

[sanook2me]

Tired of reading and hearing about the stressful and disturbing events that farangs experience everyday here in Thailand so I thought that we should share moments and events which bring a smile to our face and laughter in our hearts. I'll start by sharing some things that brighten my day.

• Children playing
  
• Parents or grandparents sharing tender moments with their child or grandchild
  
• Children practicing their english as they see you and then giving you a big grin and giggle
  

There are more but these come to mind at the moment. Put a on.

Where to start there are so many things, okay here are a couple:

- Beautiful women

- Naked women

- Naked beautiful women

- Women

The weird fun thing about Thailand is that you will see more flesh from a Thai girl walking around a shopping centre especially the uni girls than you see on the beach or in my bed at least!

My misses in bed ...fishermans pants/t shirt

stops the ants and jink joks from visiting her nether regions in our 25th floor condo

This still makes me laugh everytime my misses tells me......

[mizzi39]

He puts a smile on my face everyday. His mom does too.

[Bagwan]

Just reading this thread gave me a warm glow inside.

A couple of years ago I took off with a friend who had never ventured forth from BKK and Pattaya for a tour up country. On the second day I halted in a little village at a cafe of sorts for lunch and a couple of cold ones. The local ragamuffins looked at us in awe and it took a little time to find one brave enough to hold my hand and walk down the village store. All the other kids followed, their confidence growing with each step. I lashed out about a hundred baht or so buying them sweets, cakes and fizzy drinks for all of them. The smiles of approval from their mothers was reward enough. My friends asked why I had done such a thing. "Because I can,' I replied. "I often do it." The following day he did likewise.

On leaving the cafe I queried the check bin. It seemed that the owner had not charged us for food. In his broken English he said that I was a good man and food was free. We were waved off by the locals, all of them smiling. It would be unthinkable to do such a thing in the UK - unless you wanted to attract the attention of the men in white coats.

[yabaaaa]

Tired of reading and hearing about the stressful and disturbing events that farangs experience everyday here in Thailand so I thought that we should share moments and events which bring a smile to our face and laughter in our hearts. I'll start by sharing some things that brighten my day.

• Children playing
  
• Parents or grandparents sharing tender moments with their child or grandchild
  
• Children practicing their english as they see you and then giving you a big grin and giggle
  

There are more but these come to mind at the moment. Put a on.

People worshipping people blindly because they have been taught to, drivers, all kids who sometimes can't believe their eyes when they see "Farang".

Fixing anything, the worst types of bodges Ive ever seen, The sun, the still relative cheapness of most things especially services.Staff saying they "have "when you can see they "haven't". Stupid soi dogs who don't move out of the way of oncoming cars. The daily showing of some dignitary smothered in medals opening something or other.

[webfact]

The always friendly and smiling "Yakul Girls".

Even if you only buy one bottle you will be treated like a VIP! Love that and its always making me smile

[sanook2me]

Another long weekend

Got to love these religious holidays

Yakult girls i thought they were part of some massive criminal gang extorting cash out of witless farangs?

Going down to my empty gym and swimming pool because its to hot!

[anothertorres]

here's a few...

- walking into the local pet store and the jump up from the girls "have you food!".

- when i lend my friend money at the end of the month and getting it back at the beginning of the month.

- not dying on my motosai after being completely t-boned at an intersection. that still makes me smile.

- when my friends come and i warn them "you won't want to leave" and then waiting until the last day and they say "is it ok if i stay another week".

- every person at my local restaurants who recognize me after only 1 visit. (i'm terribly handsome to a fault, so...)

- the locals who DONT laugh at my honest attempts at speaking thai.

- Carabao, Loso and Asanee Wasan.

- heavy rain

- heavier sun

[IanForbes]

Pretty Thai women who will flirt with a happy old guy...

Pretty foreign women who will pose for a photo by a happy old guy

children playing happily

Or one that goes to sleep in your arms...

A child at the zoo...

Fishing at a Thai lake...

hiking in to a clear mountain stream with a pretty lady

Swimming in the clear, cool water...

An improptu party with Thai friends when the bars are closed..

And finding a snake on the trail when I have a camera handy.

They all add pleasure to a day in Thailand.

[longstebe]

Some great photo's there Ian.

As for the last photo,There must be something missing in your head to be that close to that deadly

looking snake .

[IanForbes]

Some great photo's there Ian.

As for the last photo,There must be something missing in your head to be that close to that deadly

looking snake .

The stick has a fork in it to block any strikes and I never took my eyes off the snake. My girl friend took the photos and I had to scream at her a few times to settle down and just shoot pictures. I've been around a lot of venomous snakes and other nasty critters like angry bears and cougars. You have to read their body language to know how far to push it. After a few minutes I just backed off and let the snake go back in the forest.

[crazyswede]

Eye contact with almost any Thai ... and their smile´s of cos!

[krading]

18 month old 'grand-daughter' calling me dtar ding and saying "abby bir day do you "

[sanook2me]

Ian great photos but do you know a man called Gary Glitter?

Ditch the beard dude!

The snake photo is cool as heck, no perspex screen like Harrison Ford in raiders of the lost ark where you see the snakes reflection

one of the truly great hollywood <removed> ups...

The fish is great too...dam_n.... you have a nice life here that is what Thailand is all about....!

Keep up the good work

Chok dee

[longstebe]

Some great photo's there Ian.

As for the last photo,There must be something missing in your head to be that close to that deadly

looking snake .

The stick has a fork in it to block any strikes and I never took my eyes off the snake. My girl friend took the photos and I had to scream at her a few times to settle down and just shoot pictures. I've been around a lot of venomous snakes and other nasty critters like angry bears and cougars. You have to read their body language to know how far to push it. After a few minutes I just backed off and let the snake go back in the forest.

Ian, your the man.

[losworld]

Just reading this thread gave me a warm glow inside.

A couple of years ago I took off with a friend who had never ventured forth from BKK and Pattaya for a tour up country. On the second day I halted in a little village at a cafe of sorts for lunch and a couple of cold ones. The local ragamuffins looked at us in awe and it took a little time to find one brave enough to hold my hand and walk down the village store. All the other kids followed, their confidence growing with each step. I lashed out about a hundred baht or so buying them sweets, cakes and fizzy drinks for all of them. The smiles of approval from their mothers was reward enough. My friends asked why I had done such a thing. "Because I can,' I replied. "I often do it." The following day he did likewise.

On leaving the cafe I queried the check bin. It seemed that the owner had not charged us for food. In his broken English he said that I was a good man and food was free. We were waved off by the locals, all of them smiling. It would be unthinkable to do such a thing in the UK - unless you wanted to attract the attention of the men in white coats.

Very nice story. I've always found it comforting to see a people make reference to "have good heart". It is something rarely if ever emphasized in our western culture. Sure not all Thais live up to it but at least they acknowledge it as a virtue. In the U.S you will more readily hear "have big house".

[IanForbes]

Just reading this thread gave me a warm glow inside.

A couple of years ago I took off with a friend who had never ventured forth from BKK and Pattaya for a tour up country. On the second day I halted in a little village at a cafe of sorts for lunch and a couple of cold ones. The local ragamuffins looked at us in awe and it took a little time to find one brave enough to hold my hand and walk down the village store. All the other kids followed, their confidence growing with each step. I lashed out about a hundred baht or so buying them sweets, cakes and fizzy drinks for all of them. The smiles of approval from their mothers was reward enough. My friends asked why I had done such a thing. "Because I can,' I replied. "I often do it." The following day he did likewise.

On leaving the cafe I queried the check bin. It seemed that the owner had not charged us for food. In his broken English he said that I was a good man and food was free. We were waved off by the locals, all of them smiling. It would be unthinkable to do such a thing in the UK - unless you wanted to attract the attention of the men in white coats.

Very nice story. I've always found it comforting to see a people make reference to "have good heart". It is something rarely if ever emphasized in our western culture. Sure not all Thais live up to it but at least they acknowledge it as a virtue. In the U.S you will more readily hear "have big house".

I agree whole heartedly. I do it all the time. It costs so little to put a smile on the face of a child. A child's smile is genuine with no ulterior motive. The smile is reward enough. There is an honesty in children that you don't often get from adults. They either like you or they don't. Whenever I go for a walk in Luk Kai (Kanchanaburi) I've always got a couple kids trailing along behind.

[Datsun240Z]

Kids are the new generation, we should teach them good.