Thailand is most affectionately known by many as The Land of Smiles and for good reason. It seems as if no matter where you go and who you talk to you get smiles a plenty from the local Thai’s. While this makes some people think that Thai people are just happy the truth is that Thai’s often smile for very different reasons.

A smile MAY convey happiness, but it may also signify something completely different. Understanding the different reasons for Thai smiles can sometimes help you transverse this strange, unique and compelling culture.

If you’ve spent a good bit of time in Thailand or living around Thai’s you can usually see the difference in Thai smiles quite easily and will know that just because the Thai is smiling it does not mean that he or she is happy. While Thai’s do smile when they are happy, they also smile when they are feeling a variety of negative emotions such as embarrassment, regret, confusion and even anger.

Obviously this can create some confusion in the mind of the Westerner who is used to seeing smiles indicate only happiness. Understanding that Thai’s place a high value on avoiding conflict and maintaining social harmony and you’ll begin to understand the reason why Thai’s smile even in (what Westerners perceive as) negative situations.

There are quite a few common reasons people smile in Thailand even when they are not happy. These include the following:

The “I’m sorry for the mistake” smile – This is commonly seen in restaurants or the like where a frustrated tourist may complain about the order only to get a smile in return from the server. Often this will make the customer more frustrated and angry as their perception is the server finds their frustration funny when really the Thai person has intended to apologize with their smile.

The “I don’t understand what the heck you’re talking about” smile – Another very common misperceived smile in restaurants and shops around Thailand. While many Thai’s speak English their command of the language varies greatly and this is compounded by the range of English accents and the speed at which many native English speakers speak.

The “I don’t know what to say” smile – Related to the “I don’t understand what the heck you’re talking about” smile, sometimes the Thai may not have the words in English to respond to your request. Or in some cases cultural inhibitions restrict them from having an answer that will satisfy their own mores and the foreigner’s expectations.

The “Whatever you say” smile – This really shouldn’t be that difficult to see as I feel that we have the same type of smile in Western culture. Usually it occurs when there is a difference of opinion that you are unable or unwilling to argue about. In the case of the Thai it is usually because they want to avoid conflict and will smile and do what you ask, even if they feel it is the wrong course of action for the situation.

The “I’m so embarrassed I want to disappear” smile – This smile will often appear as the result of a foreigners insulting tirade following the “I’m sorry for the mistake” smile. Of course it only serves to further enrage the foreigner and if they somehow don’t realize what is happening and calm down can be followed by the…

The “I’m so mad I can break your neck” smile – This can be a very dangerous smile and you should take the time to understand when it is happening. Thai’s do have great self control, however even non-confrontational people can be pushed too far. If you are receiving this smile the best course of action is to leave and rapidly. When Thai’s finally break they can go into an uncontrollable rage and to compound matters every Thai within hearing distance will come to help their fellow country man or woman.

Thailand is a popular destination for many travelers looking for adventure, cultural exploration, great natural wonders, partying, great food and shopping. The combination of all these attributes along with reasonable prices, warm weather year round and friendly Thai people makes it understandable why many people come to Thailand and fall in love with the country.

By understanding a little bit of the Thai culture before coming to Thailand you will enjoy your visit much more and could very likely end up being like many other past visitors to Thailand – returning frequently or even moving to The Land of Smiles.

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