[JennyStewarta]

Often farang don't receive "yim tak tai" - the polite smile for strangers - because they are generally so bad at giving them. Many Thai people have smiled at farang so many times only to be met with blank stares or worse. So lots of them eventually just give in and stop smiling at farang.

When I'm in Thailand I go around smiling at everyone. Thais always smile back. Some farang males get ready to punch you.

Here in Oz I always walk into Thai restaurants and grocery shops smiling and I always get a smile back.