Stocky

I thought the Swiss spoke German, French or Italian. Swiss?

... i guess most people think he's messing with them

You're messing with us too Rainman. Nice story though, so who gives a shit

No real laws prohibiting it,so bring em on in,they taste fine fried up with Nam Phla and fried crunchy go good with ketchup.

Now that's a fact

I tried to get AdAware, but they wouldn't take my credit card because they detected I was out of the USA.

I did download the free version and it found 3 viruses

that Norton missed. But when I went to delete them from

my machine, it required registration for $30. That is when

I could not finish due to not being in the USA.

Is Windows XP IE firewall any good ??

Something not right there!

I run Ad-aware (free version) and have no problems, it is free. Try uninstalling the version you have, then follow the link in Harry's post and download and install that. Once installed click on 'Check for updates' before you run a scan.

I use IE but have Norton and microsoft auto update any security concerns. Do you still think I am seriously at risk, or is it just people who don't update the latest security updates?

I'm quite happy with IE and wouldn't like to change just because of some microsoft bashing. That said I'm not too bothered about changing browsers if it's a genuine concern.

Depends on the level of risk you're willing to accept. For my work I can't afford not to have my laptop working and I couldn't afford the embarrassment of having my address book used either to spam or send viruses.

The software I use requires me to use W2K, so I regularly check and download any security patches and have reduce my exposure further by not using MS Explorer or Outlook, the most often targeted browser and e-mail client, I use Opera and The Bat! instead. I also have Norton Personal Firewall and Antivirus software, which is kept up to date. Lastly I use Ad-aware and SpywareBlaster to reduce problems of spyware

Those are the measures I've employed to reduce risk to an acceptable level for me. To some that may be paranoia and no doubt someone else will tell me that there are better products than Norton firewall and virus software.

Saddened as I am, though not surprised, that my myxomatosis rabbit didn't get the nod, I'm truly shocked that Angie's splendid gyrating arse didn't get in there.

It has my vote.

I have never tried Tiger beer,where is it from? It has got to be better then all the crap Thai beer and that includes the Heinenken and Carlsburg. I wish you could get Beer Lao here i tried some at the Lao border last year and it was pretty good.

I used to drink Tiger in Malaysia, slightly sweeter than the other Malaysian beer Anchor.

Should make a useful addition to the range available in Thailand, at least give me a break from Singha, Kloster and Chang.

Heinipiss you can keep, and Carlsburg you can hardly get anymore.

I can't make Citibank work with Firefox without disabling the popup blocker. Normally you can click on an icon to let the popup work for a single site but it doesn't work with Citibank. My European Bank also doesn't work with Firefox. Installing a IE simulation extension would be rather counter productive .. it would just give the website designers more reason to keep up the sloppy design that only works with MSIE.

Have you tried Opera?

Why is it that each time we have an intellectual post eveyone wants to follow it?

If you're a newbie then who's 'we'?

You must be an existing member under a new nick, either that or you're from ajarn.com. 'cause that's the sort of thread Harry Palmer would post.

No I wouldn't.

Yes you would!!!

Oh no he wouldn't my old Droug!

Unfortunately there is a large number of websites that only works properly with MSIE - and a lot of them are surprisingly online banking sites.

Opera v7.51 works with all my UK online accounts, provided I set preferences to identify itself as MSIE6.0.

'I sometimes feel that I have nothing to say and I want to communicate this.'

You just did.

Thank you!

You obviously use MS Explorer

Might I suggest Opera as an alternative

Sorry but any one who uses Microsoft Explorer and Microsoft Outlook (or should that be Look Out!) deserves what they get!

This is mental!

A thread regarding the westernization of Thailand has become a screaming match regarding saving brittish ass in WW2, well done.

Incidentally, wasn't it Pearl Harbour that bought the US into the war? or about four days afterwards when Japan followed by Germany said they were at war with America?

Americans are people, Thai's are people, Brit's are people - the aussies, well thats a different story  just joking, Aussies are people too and we all have the same problems; a few muppets, crappy watered down politics, gay foreign policies, a youth troubled by angst, reality tv, corporate globalisation, drugs, we all  have it all

Get a grip fella's, this is the land of smiles  please relax!

Well said FTH

I again ask what does a bunch of brits bitchen about the United States on the 4th of July have to do with the westernization of this country? The same people who do the most bitchen are the ones who dont have a clue about this place cause they only talk to each other and all hold the same grandiose view of their hole they crawlled out of. I would rather be preached to by Germans or Italians cause at least they know how to make decent cars.

The short answer to your question is nothing.

Because the US are the greatest country in the world, and everybody wants to be the same, except for some fanatic terroriste.

Look on the brightside of life only about 10% of Americans have passports and even better news is that not all of them use them.

The whole point of travel is to meet 'new' people and see 'new' culture. So this 10% thing is a bonus for me. As for you Brits, God help you, they're crawling out of every orifice in Thailand. Topic of this is 'Annoyances,' eh?

Sounds like you enjoyed yourself, don't blame the movie for spoiling it.

Naw it wasn't the enjoyment that spoiled it,it was all the far out horseshit in the movie,I never saw such shit as that.

I think who ever wrote that bunch of sorry shit was in a lot worse shape than I.

maybe good acting,I don't know,but the story line was something else.

Read 'The Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad, the book that 'Apocalypse Now' was based on, it's far far better.

Having said that I enjoyed 'Apocalypse Now' but I never really thought of it as Brando's movie, he just lurked in the background as Kurts, it was Sheen's movie.

Now 'On The Waterfront' - that was a great Brando movie.

Well, I certainly got a good laugh from Ambassador's post.  We are not brainwashed, drummed into our heads, or any other method described by different words, that the US is the best/smartest/most powerful, or whatever adjective you choose, in the world. 

Those comments seem to be reserved by people such as yourself.  We are a country who enjoys many freedoms, gained though many sacrifices and hard work over the centuries.  ALthough by no stretch a perfect place, I would take it over anywhere else int eh world (Yes, I have lived in other countries for years)

I suggest people are envious of our freedom.  I could be wrong (BTW, I have not read the whole thread or your posts other than a couple) but, you sound like you are from England.  Reason is, you spout the same old tired argument the Brits seem to spew and have been for years. 

You're putting us to sleep already. Oh, some of my best friends are from England too, and even they laugh at the same old comments.

See, even in Thailand, if you don't want to eat at McDonalds, despise so called "Westerization" then don't.  If you don't want Nike shoes, then don't buy them.  Where are you that you are forced to adopt Western ways?  You have a choice, exercise it.  Gee, that sounded kind of Western, didn't it?  Darn, I must be brainwashed!

If it bothers you so much, ignore it.  See, then you won't get all stressed whining and b*tching about it.

A PROUD AMERICAN!

I might suggest you take the time to read the whole thread. The thoughts of the Ambassador are as cringeworthy to me as to you

I accept the process of 'westernisation/globalisation' (whatever) is a matter of choice as I don't accept the alternative which is Totalitarianism. However, accepting that, there is a need for countries to be able to protect their own cultural identity. None of us would be better off in a totally identical world.

Thais should be as proud to be Thai as you are to be American.

To bring the discussion back to Thailand, I think the government 's handling of the problems in the south will not help them in the next election.

And if the opinions of my Thai acquaintences count for anything, there will be a distancing from the US and 'western' influences, including monetary policy and cultural 'imports'.

But TRT will win again though with a reduced majority. If it's a significant reduction, then hopefully it will make Mr Taksin shoot from the hip a little less Maybe they'll come up with some considered and well thought out policy. The sort of 'joined up government' that the UK's New Labour have touted but not quite delivered.

With Nader running Bush should win easily in December

I personally, for the World and America's sake, sincerely hope that he doesn't.

And the Domestic Airport will remain at Don Muang, so domestic transfers will be very convenient indeed.

Oh shit! You're joking, that's something I didn't know. So no international flights to Had Yai? Clear customs at Suvanabhumi and battle your way through the traffic to Don Muang and check in for the domestic flight. How convenient.

No, I am not joking. Travellers have to take bus or taxi between International and Domestic.

Somehow I didn't think you would be George, TiT

But how real are terrorist threads, and how much is the fear being fed by governments which gladly take the opportunity to cut civil and human rights down to the bone?

In Germany this happened while a small group of militant radicals in the 1970s were active, as a national security threat laughable in my opinion.

I was much more scared of machine guns being stuck into my face during street controls, and fell victim of a special police unit raiding my apartment because of a hoax.

For sure, especially with an election coming up.

Let me clarify, there are elections due in Thailand, US, UK and several European counties within the next 12 months. I'm not having a go at the US specifically

And the Domestic Airport will remain at Don Muang, so domestic transfers will be very convenient indeed.

Oh shit! You're joking, that's something I didn't know. So no international flights to Had Yai? Clear customs at Suvanabhumi and battle your way through the traffic to Don Muang and check in for the domestic flight. How convenient.

Sure, I agree that they are creating enemies. However they are not alone in this. The reason that the Netherlands has not been attacked has nothing to do with their foreign policy. The Dutch are involved in the so called war on terror and take the threat of attack very seriously. There have even been security concerns about a plan to detonate a bomb on a ship, possibly in Rotterdam harbour.

All western democracies are viewed as a potential target to islamic extremists, not just the USA. In fact the countries less prominent in the war on terror may be more likely to be attacked due to the lower level of security than the US, which I believe has not been the victim of an attack since 9/11 despite several attempts.

Sorry, we're wandering well away from the topic. I wasn't really thinking about the 'war on terrorism' I was following on from some of the gratuitous America bashing in previous posts and suggesting that it was more a problem with the current administration in the US rather than the American people themselves.

Trying to steer this back to Thailand, if not the original subject, a consequence of globalisation is that Thailand has become a target for terrorists itself. Apart from the problems in the south, it's association with the US and the fact that it's a popular tourist destination put it in the firing line.

Likewise, no vote. The road and rail link to Suvanabhumi Airport are due to be finished after the airport. I suspect I'll dread the first year or so.

Why do you want to buy one in the first place, in 20 years in Thailand I have never been robbed (except of my innosense)

Thanks, some humour in a sad thread

World war three because an airplane crushed into a skyscraper.

As a japanese commander once said.

I am afraid we have just woken up a sleeping giant.

No matter what administration is in charge the U.S. will take the fight to our enemies. You probably won't see any let up until bin laden is taking it up the pooper by saddam.

But as Rainman points out, the US is currently busy creating enemies! It's noticeable that the coalition of the willing is dwindling fast, Thailand is pulling it's contingent out and to date an association with the current administration has been the kiss of death to any foreign government favourable to it. With of course the exception of Israel. Sleeping giant it maybe but the Millwall attitude of "no one likes us but we don't care" is short sighted - apologies to anyone unfamiliar with English football clubs and their supporters.