POV: Why is Thailand Called "Land of Smiles"? A Thai Person's View
POV A Thai Person's View
When you come to Thailand, one thing you always see is "smiles" from Thai people. They smile at each other and at tourists too. These smiles are just natural for Thai people, learned from parents and others, passed down from one generation to the next, becoming part of who Thai people truly are.
But why do Thai people smile and laugh so much, from a Thai person's point of view?
Actually, Thai people get stressed and worried easily. But because we are worried and stressed, Thai people often look for ways to deal with stress ourselves.
One of the best ways is to make ourselves happy. That's why online content in Thailand, especially on social media, is often funny or "krian" (in Thai, meaning playful, silly, or cheeky).
These are comments that are meant to be nonsense but get laughs, or just jokes that make people laugh all the time.
Thai people can make jokes about anything. Even about things that should be serious, like the stock market crashing, we can still make jokes and laugh.
One thing that makes Thai people happy is seeing others laugh or making others laugh. In groups of friends chatting, you will often find someone who always makes everyone laugh. And those laughs make everyone in the group happy.
Smiling is in Thai people's DNA. Even if we don't know each other or just met, if we are friendly or respectful, Thai people will often greet or say goodbye with a smile.
This is something that comes from deep inside Thai people, not fake, but from the heart.
Sometimes Thai people also smile to hide mistakes or disappointments. Not every smile is from happiness. Of course, in Thailand, there are serious and stressful things happening every day.
But some people respond to bad things or their own mistakes by pretending to smile to cover up their faults or bad feelings inside.
A smile in front might hide a knife in the back. There's a Thai saying: "Smile with the mouth, dig with the eyes." This means someone might smile at you, but in their heart or actions, it's not the same. Some Thai people can hold grudges. If someone hurts them or makes them feel bad, they might want to get back at them.
Finally, from my POV as a Thai person for 41 years, I’ve realized why Thai people are like this. When Thai people meet or greet each other, we usually say hello and smile first. It's because it's in our DNA, taught to Thai people. And Thai people's behavior is often about looking for happiness that can make themselves or others smile, to make up for the stress we face in daily life. This behavior is what is shown as the "Smile of Siam," or what everyone calls Thailand "Land of Smiles."
Welcome to my subtack, feel free to share your comments what do you think about “Thailand Land of Smiles” :)