57. The Land of Smiles

Did you know that Thailand is known as the Land of Smiles? The tagline is very much how the country is. Legend has it that if you walk on the streets of Thailand, you can smile at any Thai person, and the person will always smile back at you!

Source: Fodors Travel

The country is known as one of the biggest tourist destinations in the world. The number of tourists flocking to Thailand is increasing day by day. Interestingly, the nickname was first dubbed in a promotional sense to reel in tourists. Thailand as a country has everything for everyone. It’s stunning white-sand beaches, affordable travel and accommodation costs and the best of hospitality. The locals in Thailand are known to be, for the most part, helpful, comforting and kind. Thai locals do smile, and they smile a lot! Truly, the Land of Smiles is one of the most welcoming countries in the globe.

Funny enough, Thai people have a range of smiles, which are not easily recognizable to tourists. This leads to a misunderstanding between the locals and the foreigners. The Thais have a wide range of terms for different types of smiles. For example, 'Yim thak thaan' is a polite smile, whereas 'Fuoon yim' is known as the ‘fake’ stiff smile.

However, all is not well in the Land of Smiles. We hear about natural disasters, political instability, coups, financial crisis and democratic disorder affecting the country daily. But, the cultural identity of Thailand is associated with an ‘always smiling culture’. This is a virtue that has become engrained in every tourist’s and local’s psyche. This is important when we talk about cross-cultural communication. Smiling is part of Thailand’s brand as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. It has become a quality that has been strategically capitalized. The tagline is a magnet, for those, who have never visited the country, yet feel reasons to feel elated.