Windows 8.1, preventing assumption that I am Thai

[Tiger7Moth]

I live in Thailand.

My immediate difficulty is that I will be in the US and want to check for options for flights from LA to Denver. When I do a search, some setting or software identifies me as being in Thailand and provides me with Asian flight comparison web sites. I want US flight comparison web sites, but, I haven't been able to succeed.

Also, I get many advertisements in Thai language, which I find quite annoying.

Is there some way that I can be in Thailand but receive google and other responses as if I were in the US?

The following I can live with but, also seems stupid. Yahoo asked me if it was OK to move my account from a server in the US to one in Australia. Thinking I would get better response I said yes. So, now I get Australian news on my Yahoo home page.

Thanks for any help.

[NeverSure]

Go through a free proxy server that's in the US. I haven't used a US one, but here's a list of free proxy servers. If that doesn't help, google free proxy server.

Link

Edit: The lowest access time number is the fastest.

Edited April 5, 2014 by NeverSure

[astral]

The site is picking up your IP address (Thailand)

Very irritating but little you can do expect for @neversure's suggestion

Unless you sign up for a VPN

[hml367]

What are your Region settings in Control Panel? What are your language settings in Control Panel?

I live in Thailand so do all of my searching from Thailand. I do not have the language and advertisement language you describe. My Region and Language settings in Control Panel are US English. You must have your time zone set to Thailand when in Thailand to receive Windows updates I believe.

[CaptHaddock]

As mentioned you can use a vpn to get a US ip address, but that's cracking eggs with a sledge hammer. An easier way is to change your default search engine from Google, which has servers in Thailand, to, for instance, duckduckgo.com, which does not. Search on changing default browser for your browser.

[MJCM]

What about this setting ?

- Control Panel - Region - Location Tab - Home Location <- Change this US

[Pib]

A person should definitely set the correct language/region/date/time codes in whatever operating system and search engine they are using, but even when doing all of that and when a website has multiple websitess geared towards different regions/languages of the world, your IP address will pretty much steer you towards that company's nearest/regional website as the first choice.

Happens to me quite frequently if you just type in the webpage you want to go to like" www.microsoft.com"....depending on your IP address...you could end up at an English page version (probably the U.S. version or possible International English version) or you could end up at the Thai version which will display "www.microsoft.com/th-th" once loaded.

What I do in those cases is do a google first and type in the website name and also U.S. to basically tell google I'm looking for the U.S. version of the web page....google pulls up various links and then then I select one of the links to get me to the U.S. page version. And if that is a site I will visit often I will then Bookmark it.

Or like already mentioned you can use a VPN connection....if using a VPN connection which gives you an U.S. IP address then you'll probably be steered right to the U.S. website version each and every time. But when your IP address is in Thailand you can easily be steered to the Thai version of the page....if your IP address is in Japan you can easily be steered to the Japanese version of the page....etc...etc....etc. Yeap, you IP address can initially send you to a company's website nearest you/in the country you happen to be computering from.

[WhizBang]

I have run into this same language stupidity too. I know they are looking at my IP location, but many people travel or live in different locales, so why not look at the language in use on the computer instead. I would think this little titbit of information is available and it would probably solve 98% of the issues.

[Tywais]

I have run into this same language stupidity too. I know they are looking at my IP location, but many people travel or live in different locales, so why not look at the language in use on the computer instead. I would think this little titbit of information is available and it would probably solve 98% of the issues.

As it falls into privacy and security issues if they are found to dig into the system too deep. The GeoIP does not as it is sent in the data packet.

[hcvc]

Thailand IP address behavior and Windows Control Panel settings are a good start towards a solution.

Web browsers also have options for language under setting preferences. Google Chrome > Settings > Show Advanced Settings > Languages > Click on box “Offer to translate pages that aren't in a language I read” > Next open - Language and imput settings … > Select - “English”

Further if you “right click” on a webpage - Google Chrome gives you an option to Translate the page to English. If you right click on a webpage using Internet Explorer you can also translate the page using Bing – if Bing is in the mood. You would need a separate testimonial for Firefox with Windows as I only use Firefox with my Linux OS.

[Tiger7Moth]

Go through a free proxy server that's in the US. I haven't used a US one, but here's a list of free proxy servers. If that doesn't help, google free proxy server.

Link

Edit: The lowest access time number is the fastest.

Firstly, thanks to everyone who has responded.

NeverSure, others mention VPN, is that the same as what you are recommending?

[Thainess]

Easy. Use Google Chrome as your browser and download the free Zenmate extension. You can set your locale to the US, various places in Europe, or Hong Kong. Problem solved.

[marcusd]

What are your Region settings in Control Panel? What are your language settings in Control Panel?

I live in Thailand so do all of my searching from Thailand. I do not have the language and advertisement language you describe. My Region and Language settings in Control Panel are US English. You must have your time zone set to Thailand when in Thailand to receive Windows updates I believe.

I also do,this and have no,issues

Marcusd. Via tapatalk

[akhim010]

These are all very helpful. Now time to set up my pc