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Ten Things You Probably Didn鈥檛 Know about Smiles in Thailand

Thailand has somehow become synonymous with smiles–and there must be some good reasons why it has become known as 鈥楾he Land of Smiles鈥�.

Is it that everyone is so happy in the warm weather that they just can鈥檛 help but smile when they see a poor, wind-whipped, pale-skinned foreigner who has come to their neck of the woods just to catch a small taste of life in a tropical climate?

Well no, actually. In fact, it鈥檚 highly unlikely–the majority of Thais are as used to complaining about both the sun and the heat as an English person is about the cold & rain.

Perhaps then, the Thai people are committed Buddhists who have left their attachment to worldly burdens behind鈥攆lowing only with the 鈥榥ow鈥� of the present moment and always seeing the inherent joy in it?

Erm…no. Not really. Although some young male Thais still follow the tradition of temporarily joining the monkhood–albeit for somewhere between days and months鈥攖he majority of Thailand鈥檚 natives prefer the meritorious route of Buddhism rather than taking a full-on, active stab at the Dhamma in practice.

This means that they believe by giving alms to a monk in the morning it will buy them some 鈥榤erit鈥� karma-wise, and maybe cancel out some of the more unsavoury thoughts or deeds that they may have been party to.

But it鈥檚 unlikely that any religious beliefs they are likely to hold is fully the cause for all the smiles either, as many people are just busy getting on with the practical aspects of their everyday life and saving a trip to the temple for the weekend or a special occasion.

Image by dr. burtoni from creativecommons.org

Maybe we are looking at this the wrong way round a bit here. What if, rather than trying to figure out why the Thais are smiling, we put a bit more effort into trying to figure out what the smile is actually telling us.

If we start to analyse those endless little nuances, for instance, that all the different shades of the smile seem to carry, we may notice rather a few subtle variations on the smile.

You have to wonder how much attention 鈥榦utsiders鈥� really give to it and how much they understand about the Thai smile exactly.

Not much. And if anyone who visits Thailand is actually going around this place thinking what a friendly bunch they all are, even allowing their misguided ego to slip into believing the old 鈥榪uite well-liked and popular here, aren鈥檛 you fella?鈥� routine –they might need help.

Certainly anyone who simply takes the smile at face value–thinking it signifies a liking for something or someone–would be very much barking up the wrong tree.

Image from creativecommons.org

As it turns out there is quite a bit more to the Thai smile than meets the eye, and it is more complex than you might think. But this post is hopefully going to give you a few insights into being a bit more able to decipher which type of smile is being used in a given situation.

Common Misconceptions

Probably the most common misinterpretation of a Thai smile is it is always well-intentioned. Of course there will be occasions when it is, but it won鈥檛 do to go around simply thinking that a smile means everything is good.

As it turns out though, the second biggest misinterpretation is just the opposite of that–assuming that the majority of smiles are indeed ill-intentioned.

Once you give it some thought though you might find yourself reading certain situations a bit more closely. With a bit of practice and forethought to the context, you will soon start to realise the extent to which the Thai smile is used for communication, and when it comes in handy. It certainly allows the expression a range of emotions without verbally taking action.

Image from creativecommons.org

The Thais themselves believe the smile to be a fine art and a form of communication capable of easing particular situations or showing appreciation in others.

In fact, there are 13 unofficially documented variations on the Thai smile in local culture and lore. Let鈥檚 have a closer look at them.

The 13 Smiles of Thailand

Yim yaw

Yim means smile in Thai. Let鈥檚 get that one out of the way first as you鈥檒l notice it popping up quite significantly in this post.

The yim yaw smile might relate to a couple of things. It can intimate a kind of 鈥業 told you so鈥�, or 鈥業 warned you鈥�. Sometimes it鈥檚 just used in a teasing manner, though not harshly.

Yim cheun chom 

This smile is a kind of controlled smile of admiration or acceptance. Think of it as a beautiful yet proud smile that could obviously have quite positive connotations.

Yim mai awk 

This is the struggling or slightly reluctant smile used to mask any rising emotion or situation considered in any way difficult. The yim mai awk might be used when someone is upset quite badly about something or even physically hurt, and hence finds it difficult to smile.

Image by dr. burtoni from creativecommons.org 

Yim mee lessanai 

This one is a bit on the devious side — a smile intended to cover underlying ill intent. It鈥檚 a good one to learn to recognise as it can save you from various uncomfortable or unnecessary situations.

Yim chuead chuean 

This one is a bit of a 鈥榖ad guy鈥� smile too 鈥� or 鈥榖ad girl鈥欌�攁nd maybe with a tad more theatre than the last one. Think gloating evil empress or something along those lines. Maybe an underpaid and corrupt fat police captain who knows he鈥檚 got you cornered good.

Yim dor dhaan 

This is a kind of begrudging smile with a concession. It indicates that you disagree with something, but will go along with it for the sake of the greater good or whatever. You might find this to be a common one among Thai people鈥揺specially in hierarchical situations like the ones encountered at work or even in a social group.

Image by masta baba from creativecommons.org

Yim sao 

This is a sad smile. No, really鈥搃t鈥檚 like the standard smile of sadness–a true indication that someone really isn’t happy right now. Look out.

Yim haeng 

鈥榊im Haeng鈥� 鈥� literally 鈥榮mile dry鈥�. The dry Thai smile. Oftentimes used by people who may not necessarily mean anything of what they say or say anything of what they mean.

Yim suu suu! 

Suu means fight, keep going, don鈥檛 give up–words of encouragement, basically–hence the Thai smile of encouragement鈥搕he 鈥榊ou can do it, kid鈥� smile.

Yim yoh-yae 

This is a bit of a 鈥榳ell never mind, let鈥檚 move on鈥� smile. It鈥檚 one Thai way of indicating that something is not worth getting upset over. The 鈥榮omething has happened and can’t be changed鈥� smile. You鈥檒l see this one often too, possibly used in conjunction with the phrase 鈥�mai bpen rai鈥� (never mind) to intimate that something is not worth getting hung up over.

Yim thang nam daa 

This is one of those Thai smiles must be interpreted carefully, as it can mean different things depending on the context of the situation.

In some respects it could lean towards 鈥淚鈥檓 so happy I could cry鈥�, or under slightly different circumstances it could be more a case of 鈥淚鈥檓 so sad inside, but I鈥檓 still smiling on the outside鈥�, or perhaps 鈥済otta keep laughing to keep from crying鈥�.

Image from creativecommons.org

Fuoon Yim 

If you are in any way familiar with the Thai phrase 鈥�mai jing jai鈥� (which translates in context as 鈥榝ake鈥� or not meaning what you say, not being trustworthy), then just try and imagine a smile that came as a reaction that was saying or thinking that, and you get 鈥榝uoon yim鈥�.

It’s a stiff and somewhat intentionally fake-looking smile intimating that someone is not convinced by something or someone.

Yim taak thaai 

This is a 鈥榝ill-in鈥� or 鈥榗onvenience smile鈥�. It comes in handy in a variety of situations like, for instance, you don鈥檛 really know someone that well but just acknowledge them with this smile.

Perhaps you are on the side lines of a particular conversation and either not really listening and fully involved or not completely sure even hat is being talked about 鈥� so you use this polite smile that enables you to acknowledge someone or something they say without getting too deeply involved. You can imagine how useful this one is which is why it is one of the most common smiles you鈥檙e likely to encounter when out and about in Thailand.

So there you have it 鈥� the Thai smile and its various nuances.

Of course there may still be far more to it than that, but these 13 are just the 鈥榰nofficially acknowledged鈥� smiles that have been given names and are recognised in various situations and as an integral part of the communication and culture.

So next time you come to the land of smiles, consider that a smile is not just a smile, and could mean something completely different to what you interpret, albeit in a very subtle way.