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What comes to mind when you think of Thailand? Many think: The Land of Smiles. Couldn't be further from the truth, in my opinion, at least when you scratch the surface. Although I have to admit: first time you get there, you can't help but think, "Man, these people know some secret of life. Look at them--smiling and being nice, to the point of even kissing ass." But then by the second week of your stay it's clear, most of it is fake! How could you even think they really like us? Look at us: Americans on steroids doing Muay Thai, banging local girls-- lost souls trying to find some sense of belonging-- Old German dudes walking around with really young (or not so young) prostitutes-- Backpackers with dreadlocks-- nothing there to like, and if I were Thai I would be seriously pissed off, which I think they all are, but are just trained not to show it? It's a weird country, on one hand you have people doing whatever it takes to save their face, trying to look right at all times, avoiding any (ANY) kind of confrontation; going as far as to tell you ONLY what you want to hear, even if they don't mean it, even if it's not true; but on the other hand there is rampant prostitution, underage girls are sold into it by their families, it's just weird. Maybe better to say different?
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