The “Land of Smiles” just received another reason to grin. Jeff Amato, a Missouri native, has opened the first tanning salon in Thailand. BKKSUN is the first of four locations to open and is spreading sunshine to Thai residents and expats alike. Amato, the CEO, moved to Thailand permanently in 2003 after accepting a position as the regional director for Pacific World in Bangkok.

In a country where skin whitening is a common practice, Amato deemed it important to show the Thai people that tan skin is attractive too. Recently, prominent celebrities such as 2014 Miss Thailand World Nonthawan “Maeya” Thongleng, started sporting tans and sending the message to women that being tan is beautiful. TAN Magazine launched, aiming to promote sun-kissed skin. Tanning is trending and it’s a good thing for the Bangkokian people. Despite their sunny location, people tend to stay indoors to escape the heat, depriving themselves of vitamin D. Having a place to comfortably receive a tan and get a dose of vitamin D will likely appeal to those who would rather skin sunning in astronomical temperatures outdoors.

“Thailand is blessed with loads of sunshine, but like any major cosmopolitan city, people work long hours. That, couples with the heat, means that many don’t get the change to enjoy much time in the sun. BKKSUN offers a comfortable alternative to sunbathing on the rooftops of the city in the stifling hear,” says Amato.

Pairing Thai hospitality with a luxury setting, BKKSUN has seen success already and is switching the Thai people onto the beauty of being bronze.

Click here to read the entire article in the latest issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.