by Daryle Rico | Jun 9, 2026 | Cooking, Culture, Food, Hua Hin, Thai Smiles, Thailand
Ah yes, Som Tum—the famous green papaya salad of Thailand. A dish so beloved, so iconic, so deceptively innocent-looking… you’d never suspect it might double as a controlled burn for your internal organs. On paper, it’s perfection. A bright, crunchy mix of shredded...
by Daryle Rico | Jun 5, 2026 | Culture, Food, Thai Smiles, Thailand
One of the greatest joys of living in Thailand—and yes, I’m including the beaches, the people, and the dangerously affordable cost of living—is the food. But dining here? That’s a whole different experience. And I don’t just mean swapping burgers and fries for curry...
by Daryle Rico | Apr 20, 2026 | Culture, Thai Smiles, Thailand
One of the first things you learn in Thailand—usually the hard way—is this: Never… ever… use a 7-ELEVEN as a landmark. “Just turn left at the 7-ELEVEN,” they say. Which one? The one next to the other 7-ELEVEN? At last count, there are over 14,000 7-ELEVEN stores...
by Daryle Rico | Apr 18, 2026 | Thai Smiles, Thailand
No amount of online research—and I mean none—can prepare a well-meaning Westerner for Songkran. Oh, I thought I was ready. I had read the blogs. Studied the photos. I even went full tactical and purchased an electronic squirt gun—because nothing says “I’ve got this...
by Daryle Rico | Apr 13, 2026 | Culture, Thai Smiles, Thailand
When I think of New Year’s back in America, I picture myself heroically trying to stay awake long enough to watch the ball drop in Times Square… only to fall asleep somewhere around 11:47 PM, wake up confused, and then spend the next month writing the wrong year on...
by Daryle Rico | Apr 11, 2026 | Ayutthaya, Favorite Tours, Thai Smiles, Thailand
My afternoon tour of the ancient city of Ayutthaya had just wrapped up, and my guide and I were making our way back to Bangkok when we passed what looked like a rustic roadside corral… filled with elephants. As one does. My guide casually asked, “Have you ever fed an...
