The Kingdom of Thailand is also known as the Land of Smiles. But where are those smiles coming from? Smiling is not exclusive to Thai people; everybody in the world can and do smile. The difference lies maybe in the fact that Thai people smile more often and seemingly for different reasons than other people. Cross-cultural studies have shown that throughout the world smiling is used for communicating emotions. Smiling in some instances can also be a prelude to laughing.

While in Thailand, it is important to know why Thai people smile and what their smiles really mean. Thai people have a several definitions for their different types of smiles. They actually have thirteen to be exact, like the Eskimos who have more than twenty terms for snow.

The happy smile.  The smile which genuinely shows happiness.
The victory smile. The smile which shows a win.
The admiration smile.  The smile which is usually directed to a superior.
The polite smile. The smile which is customary when you meet people for the first time.
The nervous apologetic smile. The smile which says “sorry”.
The forced smile. The smile which is given because you have to.
The smile of diffusion. The smile which is used to overcome an embarrassing or awkward situation.
The inappropriate hidden smile. The smile which is given when it is inappropriate to smile.
The mocking smile. The smile which is used to put someone on the spot.
The smile of hopelessness.  The smile which is given when nothing else is of no avail.
The evil smile. The smile which precedes a bad deed.
The sad smile. The smile which covers and hide a sad emotion.
The attitude smile. The smile which says you are better than others.

To this list I would add:
The contentment smile. The smile which radiates to express fulfillment.
The eternal smile. The smile which never leaves the face of some people.
The heart smile. The smile which is deep in your heart.
The therapeutic smile. The smile which makes you feel better.
The flirting smile. The smile which announces that love is in the air.

Does that make you smile? Try to find other types of smiles. You will be surprised; they are so many more to discover!

Written by: Chris Aupretre