Thais are taught from an early age not to show their emotions, not to reveal their true feelings to others. It’s difficult for westerners to understand this as it’s a complex cultural attribute, unique to peoples of the East, particularly the Far East.
Let’s think about the Thai Smile
They are just showing their happiness and youthful innocence. The smiles are genuine. The children have no reason to use their smiles in a deceptive way, pretending to convey that they like you when in fact their feelings are the actual opposite. Their smiles are genuine.
Is this Thai Smile genuine?
We can normally see through a politician’s smile for what it really is.
What do you think of these three types of Thai Smile? For a fuller article on Smiles, take a look at this piece on my website,
copy this line into your browser.
www.MattOwensRees.com/2024/02/17/the-Thai-smile.
I explain the different types of Thai smile with many true and actual examples.
For extremely professional photos on Smiles and other topics, I recommend www.LodeEngelen.be
How Thais can use their Emotions to trick other People
I always strive to provide my readers and followers with nothing less than accurate facts based on observation, research, and a careful check of sources. They expect nothing less from me.
I aim to show balanced accounts of Thai culture and lifestyle. Sometimes, however, a reader, not used to my unbiased writing, may think that I am “Thai Bashing”. To avoid that impression, I often use a non-Thai example to make a point.
Thais will sometimes burst out crying to evoke sympathy, even though they are perfectly capable of hiding their emotions if they so wished.
Although Thais are masters of this art, and could easily win an Oscar for an award-winning performance, other nationalities are not exempt from this subterfuge.
My best friend at university was a few years older than the rest of us undergraduates. But Jack worked extremely hard and ultimately became a solicitor of the supreme court. His wife, Sue, was a nurse specialising in tropical medicine. With this qualification, she had reached the rank of Captain as a volunteer in the UK territorial army.
It always amused Jack that the local postmen, on delivering mail to their home, assumed that HE was Captain O’Leary!
Sue was caught speeding by a uniformed police officer, who immediately started to write out a ticket. She immediately burst into tears, saying her husband was a solicitor and would be extremely angry and embarrassed by her speeding offense. She did not mention that she was a lay magistrate, which would also result in embarrassment for her.
Jack’s wife is quite an attractive lady. The officer fell for her charms and let her off. A few yards down the road, she turned the tears off and went on her way.
A Myanmar lady sobbed and shed tears in front of her boss.
I was eating at a Belgian restaurant in Chiangmai when I had to complain about an undercooked steak to the manager. Actually, the food was usually first class. She was from Myanmar. and was quite formal and a little rude with me. She showed no signs of being concerned or upset. However, she turned the tears on when she spoke to the Belgian owner.
He and his wife asked me what had happened. I explained and pointed out that many women from the Far East could use tears at will when they wanted sympathy and to avoid a reprimand. I doubt they believed me. Sadly, most foreigners in Thailand have little knowledge of Far Eastern culture.
Tears at a Thai Funeral
A close college friend of my wife died at the age of 37, but my wife, a government officer, was unable to attend the cremation rites. I was asked to represent her. I was the only foreigner present. The most moving part of the ceremony was when Somporn’s friends, and I, made a circle round her coffin and sang the college anthem. Even the monks watched and were clearly moved.
After the body had been consumed by the flames, we all started walking away. One young lady started to cry. Without thinking about Thai culture, I put my hand on her shoulder to comfort her. I immediately realised a Thai would never have done that. However, it was not a problem. She stopped crying and gave me a slight smile.
By the time we reached a restaurant to eat, the atmosphere changed from a stoic and respectful sombre mood to one of happy chatting and singing.
Oub and her father’s driving
Oub’s family had kindly offered to drive us from Lampang to Bangkok for an important meeting I had. It was a night drive and the mountainous roads from Lampang can be quite treacherous and dangerous. Animals can run across the road without warning. Oub’s father was driving. We stopped for some refreshment and when her dad was out of the car, she cried and couldn’t stop.
Oub had not driven with her dad for some time. She had not realised how his eyesight was failing with age and how slow his reactions were. Oub would not cry in front of her father and had held back her tears with difficulty.
True Stories of Thai Culture and Lifestyle
All the above stories are true. The names are authentic and used with permission. I post these stories on my website, Medium, and Substack; and encourage and welcome constructive comment.