00:00Ever wondered why Thailand is called the land of smiles?
00:03Well, one story traces back to World War II.
00:07Westerners began visiting more often, but most Thais couldn't speak English,
00:11so instead of replying, they smiled.
00:14Writer Kukrit Pramod once said foreigners were charmed by this friendly reaction
00:18and started calling it the Siamese smile.
00:22But the term didn't officially stick until the 1960s.
00:25Under Prime Minister, Saudi Thailand launched its first economic development plan.
00:30To attract tourists, the government promoted the slogan Siam, the land of smiles,
00:34through travel magazines and national campaigns.
00:37Smiling became a symbol of Thai hospitality.
00:41So, was it a clever PR move or it's just in Thai people's nature?
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