[EbrsaRynleot]

yes and no.

Thailand used to be more 'smiles' but things have definitely changed.

I do get people smiling at me as I walk down the streets. I have even had them turning their heads following me with a smile on their faces. But I guess they would only smile to non-Thai(??!). For I have observed they do not do such to their own kind.

I bet what FIP experienced would not have been done to another Thai.

Where I work, all of them smiled and wai-ed at me - but again I guess that is because I hold a 'respectable' status there. Trust me, I smile more than any Thais do. I have been labelled as the girl with the sweet smile and the beautiful wai (yes, the locals told me I wai nicer than most of them do!! ). I have even experienced doing the smile first and then after which would they return.

In many occassions when I stood next to the greeting ladies at the front desk, I feel (being a non-Thai) I do a better job at it (and so I have been told) - I smiled and at times I wai-ed (for I do not need to) genuinely. And many feedbacks been made that I would make a better greeting person.

I have also wondered why is it called the Land of Smiles?? Is it also known as City of Angels (Or is that Los Angeles?? ) - if it is, I wonder why too? Most would only smile to non-Thais and not much to each other. I have even noticed when they wai-ed to each other, some were serious in their faces.

Anyway, the place that I find to be a beauty when it comes to smile is Bali - The Land of Gods - now even by stating that puts a warm smile on my face and Java

Both men and women there are truly gently, they even smile at each other. Customs and traditions are very much held high, unlike here in Thailand (well not as much at least) - again through my many observations and having had travelled alot throughout asia.

Just for your information, I am an asian - meaning I have dark hair and I am a female. Just in case, as we are on the topic of Thailand being the Land of Smile, would they smile to just about anyone or that would have to depend on situation, as in being a caucasian/asian/local?

In my opinion, not enough smiles to go around to be labelling it as Land of smiles.

[Diwokfkq]

thailand is the land of smiles. Nowhere else in the world, will you see countless children playing and laughing in the streets in such grand joy. Most of these children have little to smile about according to foriegn standards, but they smile nonetheless.

[Cydayshosse]

Okie-dokie, Ms/Mrs. Synn,...I just posted one yesterday on Thailand life & culture....it`s titled "Thai Honesty"...hope you agree with it, and contribute some of your experiences ,whether you are a native American or a Thai born....ooops!...I guess that post is on this same category...I`m still not "at home" on this web.

[JennyStewarta]

Um, I think the word Lenss was after was "troll". It means someone who turns internet discussions into arguments.

[ireleda]

Well damn hand, I think that you must have been somewhere else.
I have always seen smiles, and I mean real ones, I smile every time I make eye contact with someone and it is always returned,, maybe because I am 6 feet 1 inch of pobly the ugliest farang that you will ever meet, with a short full grey beard and a huge moustache, all my hair and not an ounce overweight.
I was behind a songteau with a load of fair size Thai girl students awhile back and one of them waved to me, I waved back and smiled and the back of that bus really lit up.
Damn I sure feel sorry for you, something must be wrong with you, sure seems to be OK with the folks here.

[RalfDweflywex]

Ha! The health hazard that is my room would wipe the smile off anyone's face. Even a Thai's.

[EbrsaRynleot]

On what dictionary have you found that TROG slang?

its simply dictionary.com

[Cydayshosse]

Well mr. Lenss I looked at Websters`s dictionary-on line, on Net-lingo dictionary, On thesaurus on line, on slang terms dictionary...and there is no TROG,... so you alone must have made up this expression, coz no one else knows what that is, so it is a diffucult question for me answer ...I guess when I am asleep at night I might be a TROG ,yeah, I may trog unconscientiously...

[Cydayshosse]

Yes, we can leave it there,...but that does not mean that I will be dictated by you or any other individual on this web, on what I should be posting, only web administation can do that. And because YOU may find something "Unhelpfull" and not funny, it does not mean that no one else does. And both those jokes I posted were not "discriminatory" nor insulting to anyone, I have posted NOTHING wrong...and if my posts are too-long?...I already suggested to you best solution...give yourself & me a break-don`t read them....

[Cydayshosse]

Oh,...is that what trog is?....well what ever would make him ask me something like that? never having met me, nor seeng me ...well, if you are reading Mr. Lenss, no, I don` t look anything like a cave man, on the contrary I am rather good looking man, in perfect physical shape ...as one taxi driver in Bangkok told my wife-quite seriously-I reminded him of an American actor ...and cab drivers should know....and loads of other people that know me would readily agree with that man`s statement.