The Land of Smiles

One thing that has amazed me about Thai people is the camaraderie they share with one another. I have never seen more tightly knit groups of people anywhere else in the world. One any given afternoon you can see groups of boys watching TV draped over one another, children wrestling in the playground or relaxing with their heads in each other's laps. They tend to be very open about the affection that they share for one another and do not shy away from this very PG PDA. Sociablity one of the pillars of Thai culture. Everything is shared, open and inclusive, from Songkran festival, to food, to the layout of homes. Every family enjoys relaxing out in the open air of their front porch or one constructed seperate from the house chatting with friends and family as they pass by. There is no such thing as a closed door, everyone is welcome. One day, as I was eating dinner in the kitchen a child wandered into the house, marched into the kitchen polished off my glass of water right in front of me, poured a new one, drank that too and left like nothing was up. That was hilarious. Thai culture does not allow time for privacy, everything is out in the open and shared with everyone. Friends, friends of friends and sometimes even strangers are all recognized as family and invited to enjoy each other's hospitality. It is no wonder that Thai is world renowned for this trait. This collection of photos is aimed at highlighting the closeness that Thai people share with one another and also how willing they are to share their cheerful and carefree lifestyle with a smile.