They Call This Kingdom The Land Of Smiles Is It Really?

[rene123]

I think "it was so great when I first arrived but now X years later it's changed so much" actually comes from the changes in the knowledge and attitude of the speaker more than of the country over that time.

Thailand's culture is very much oriented around keeping everything at the top level, outside surfaces pleasant and calm and beautiful and polite and friendly, no matter how tawdry and corrupt under the surface.

As you live here longer, the surface appearances become more transparent and unreal, to the point where you don't even see them anymore, you're looking at the underlying reality directly and of course that reality's always unpleasant for those who prefer the illusions.

However IMO it's negatively oriented people see mostly negative in the reality, would feel the same way back home. Positively oriented people see the good there as well as the bad, but focus on the good and therefore aren't as dependent on illusion to prop up their good feelings about the world.

I think that pretty much covers it. Smiles come from people who enjoy doing what they do. They come from salespersons who are trying to sell you something. They come from people who are happy at the moment. Walking through New York city on a busy day and it's hard to find a smile on anyone's face. Meet the same people in a nightclub when they are having fun and it's a different story.

[macksview]

I think "it was so great when I first arrived but now X years later it's changed so much" actually comes from the changes in the knowledge and attitude of the speaker more than of the country over that time.

Thailand's culture is very much oriented around keeping everything at the top level, outside surfaces pleasant and calm and beautiful and polite and friendly, no matter how tawdry and corrupt under the surface.

As you live here longer, the surface appearances become more transparent and unreal, to the point where you don't even see them anymore, you're looking at the underlying reality directly and of course that reality's always unpleasant for those who prefer the illusions.

However IMO it's negatively oriented people see mostly negative in the reality, would feel the same way back home. Positively oriented people see the good there as well as the bad, but focus on the good and therefore aren't as dependent on illusion to prop up their good feelings about the world.

I think that pretty much covers it. Smiles come from people who enjoy doing what they do. They come from salespersons who are trying to sell you something. They come from people who are happy at the moment. Walking through New York city on a busy day and it's hard to find a smile on anyone's face. Meet the same people in a nightclub when they are having fun and it's a different story.

some time, it is too clever on this forum from some posters,i think cmk has got the best post so far, it crosses all the boxes,concise,thailand orientated and a reminder about the dangers of smoking in bed in nylon clothing.

[cheechoo]

sometimes,i look at those people and forget the corruption,dishonesty,disparity in wealth and just enjoy thailand.

yes.... thai doesnt have one of those things u mentioned..............................lol.!

on 2nd though thai is the king of all 3. which thai do u live in?

[macksview]

sometimes,i look at those people and forget the corruption,dishonesty,disparity in wealth and just enjoy thailand.

yes.... thai doesnt have one of those things u mentioned..............................lol.!

on 2nd though thai is the king of all 3. which thai do u live in?

for sure one of the hubs for the worst things,how can anyone smile when it leeches through society.

[Banzai99]

One thing that is worse than being a Farang in Thailand, is being a Thai in Thailand.

In general, most Farangs can leave Thailand when they want, as they live in Thailand by choice, in general most Thais do not have that option.

Seems odd that so many Farangs spend all day in front of a computer complaining, and the Thais just get on with their life, generally with a smile.

Some Farangs spend their dream retirement and the final years of their lives in front of a PC moaning, STOP, you ain't got that much time left, try to smile, try to see all the good things, stop whining, can you imagine living with you, always moaning, think of your poor wife who wonders what happened to the happy go lucky guy that she met, or do you want her to breathe a huge sigh of relief when you pop your clogs because she can laugh and smile again without some miserable old git sitting in a corner huffing and puffing about how bad everything is, and how Thailand should be grateful he is here ?

As for the Land of Smiles, in the case of many Farangs I see, it certainly isn't, most Farangs look really miserable and look like they would rather be somewhere else.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Banzai99

[chiangmaikelly]

One thing that is worse than being a Farang in Thailand, is being a Thai in Thailand.

In general, most Farangs can leave Thailand when they want, as they live in Thailand by choice, in general most Thais do not have that option.

Seems odd that so many Farangs spend all day in front of a computer complaining, and the Thais just get on with their life, generally with a smile.

Some Farangs spend their dream retirement and the final years of their lives in front of a PC moaning, STOP, you ain't got that much time left, try to smile, try to see all the good things, stop whining, can you imagine living with you, always moaning, think of your poor wife who wonders what happened to the happy go lucky guy that she met, or do you want her to breathe a huge sigh of relief when you pop your clogs because she can laugh and smile again without some miserable old git sitting in a corner huffing and puffing about how bad everything is, and how Thailand should be grateful he is here ?

As for the Land of Smiles, in the case of many Farangs I see, it certainly isn't, most Farangs look really miserable and look like they would rather be somewhere else.

I go to a first rate cardiologist every month for a check up. While I was waiting on a song tau for transportation to my monthly visit to the doctor an older woman and her daughter got on the small truck bus. I smiled and nodded when they got on. A minute later the old woman got off the bus and went into the convenience store behind the bus stop. She returned to the bus and handed me a 20 baht bottle of tea with lemon (Oishi). I had never seen the woman before and will probably never see her again. Her daughter asked her if she knew me and she said no but Thai people should show a good heart.

Edited November 18, 2012 by chiangmaikelly

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Maybe you looked like you were about to pass out from heat stroke? 8-)

Yes, Thais in the street give my kids snacks all the time, we get a lot of hand-me-down clothes dropped off etc, they are very caring and friendly, at least for the most part, some put on the "farang kee nok should go home where you belong" attitude but rarely to our face (other than the kids' mum 8-).

[bannork]

I moved to Thailand in 1982 from Singapore, I never regretted it, although I still rate Singapore as the number 1 place to live in SEA. Thailand is the land of smiles, because thats what the advert says, heads up....its a slogan, an advert, a selling point, but its never gonna be 100% real. Its like saying, I travelled to Yorkshire England and the people were really friendly, even in the shops they loved to chat and talk. Hey....newsflash, yorkshire people can talk the hind legs off a donkey and smile while they are doing it....but, ever met a happy lugubrious yorkshire farmer ??, of course not, because yorkshire farmers can take doom and gloom to 7 levels beyond your typical scottish cattle farmer who pops into thurso once a week to stock up on Irn Bru.Over the last 32 years, I have spent time with smiling korat farmers and laughing bangkok salespersons, and they all, at one point or another, gave me the Thai smile... a spontaneous and friendly guesture. The only one to be afraid of is the Thai smile of anyone who holds a position of power. Show me the person who believes khun Yabumrang is giving you a friendly Thai smile and I will show you a person who sincerely believes that the United nations is not a bloated useless institution.

Thais are always laughing in groups,especially away from the tourist spots. Acts of kindness and friendliness are frequent even in Bangkok though. My newspaper seller refuses to accept 40 baht for the unmentionable paper on Sundays, she says it's too much! I agree!

Yorkshire- I had the misfortune to grow up in the East Riding in the 60s and early 70s, As soon as we finished our A levels we all couldn't wait to get out, There's even a village called Grimethorpe for god's sake!

But first we had to save some money ,so we got jobs in the local fish factory and foundry down Hessle road.

After 3 months we handed in our notices,our co-workers were astonished.Salt of the earth types, they demanded to know where we were going.They couldn't believe we'd throw good dead- end production line jobs down the drain.

'We're hitching round Europe for a month, starting in Switzerland'.

Yer don't need to go there lad, yer can see it all on telly, yer don't need to leave Hull'!

[loong]

One thing that is worse than being a Farang in Thailand, is being a Thai in Thailand.

In general, most Farangs can leave Thailand when they want, as they live in Thailand by choice, in general most Thais do not have that option.

Seems odd that so many Farangs spend all day in front of a computer complaining, and the Thais just get on with their life, generally with a smile.

Some Farangs spend their dream retirement and the final years of their lives in front of a PC moaning, STOP, you ain't got that much time left, try to smile, try to see all the good things, stop whining, can you imagine living with you, always moaning, think of your poor wife who wonders what happened to the happy go lucky guy that she met, or do you want her to breathe a huge sigh of relief when you pop your clogs because she can laugh and smile again without some miserable old git sitting in a corner huffing and puffing about how bad everything is, and how Thailand should be grateful he is here ?

As for the Land of Smiles, in the case of many Farangs I see, it certainly isn't, most Farangs look really miserable and look like they would rather be somewhere else.

Doesn't it seem odd to you that you are sitting at your computer, complaining about others complaining when you could be doing other things?

[payak]

girl withdrawing her monthly payment from swedish gik, german gik, australian gik, american gik.

big smile that will last a whole month.

[transam]

girl withdrawing her monthly payment from swedish gik, german gik, australian gik, american gik.

big smile that will last a whole month.

Think l know her too.

[Heng]

LOS? Absolutely. In fact it's the nature of the LOS that makes the whole world a pretty nice place for me.

[payak]

at the end of the day, thailand is a pretty dam_n good place.

[payak]

bangkok has character, you cannot create that.