Where does it come from?

        

"The Land of Smiles": This description of Thailand was coined many years ago by visitors and later immortalized in the opening paragraphs of numerous tourist guidebooks.                                                                                                     

A friend of ours who is 'farang"  (the Thai  term    for 'foreigner') was recently traveling with a Thai friend in some remote areas of  Southern   Thailand.  Soon it was pretty clear  that they  were both lost. The farang, quite concerned and  frowning by this time, turned to his  partner who  was grinning. "What are you smiling for?" he  demanded. "Well, said the Thai, "if   you don`t  smile, can you find the way out any  easier?".