Put away your grumpy face

Thailand often markets itself as "The Land of Smiles" - both in country-wide advertising, and the guide books tout it as well. For me, the phrase is not necessarily a misnomer, although like most any country, you can always find something to be grumpy about. But! Put away your grumpy face in Thailand. At least in the north of Thailand, smiling at someone will earn you a smile back.

I find most Thais to be truly friendly people. Maybe that's because I like to smile at people and show appreciation, but compared to many other countries, I get a lot of return happiness back.

Part of this may be due to the fact that we're learning a lot more of the Thai language on this trip. Just saying "hello" in Thai with your hands together in the prayer position will earn you a smile from most people. Tip: to say hello, say "sah-waa-dee-kaa", put your palms together, and give a little head bow.

I guess, like so many places in the world, if you put in the effort to learn some of the language, and act with courtesy, people will be generally much friendlier.

I recommend downloading the Learn Thai app (Android). Learn to say "hello" and "thank you." Note that women end their sentences in "kah" while men end in "krap" (pronounced not like you think, but "koo-rah-puh).

Practice these and try it out - Thais will appreciate that you are making the effort. And, your stay in Thailand will have many more smiles to brighten your day.