Wrong warning on Internet Explorer
20 November 2008 - Last week I built a new page Thailand Souvenirs our online souvenir shop. A day later, I had a shock when a visitor to my website e-mailed to say that he saw this message on his browser when he clicked on this page.

Suspicious Website

This might be a Phishing Website

Phishing websites impersonate trustworthy websites for the purpose of obtaining your personal and financial information

Microsoft recommends that you don't give any of your information to such websites

Report whether or not this is a Phishing website

Initially I feared that my computer was infected by some Trojan that corrupted the page and the EBay links. It didnt occur to me that it was a wrong warning from Microsoft. The Firefox browser doesnt show this message.

After several frantic e-mails over a few days to SBI, my site builder and host as well as EBay, I was advised by Pete, an SBI forum member, to report this to Microsoft as an error report. A couple of hours later, I got this reply.

SRX1085135184ID - http://www.tour-bangkok-legacies.com/thailand-souvenirs.html‏

From: Microsoft SmartScreen/Phishing Filter Support (TCS.AP.00.00.EN.MSF.SEA.SF.T01.000.00.00@css.one.microsoft.com)
Sent: 18 November 2008 12: 21PM
To: erlthk@hotmail.com

Thank you for contacting us about: http://www.tour-bangkok-legacies.com/thailand-souvenirs.html.

We have reviewed the information you provided regarding this website and removed the incorrect designation. We thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

Please note that although we have removed the incorrect designation, it may take up to 24 hours for you to see this change reflected.

In the event that the incorrect designation persists beyond 24 hours from the receipt of this e-mail message, please let us know by replying directly to this message. Please do not reply unless the problem persists.

Thank you, Microsoft SmartScreen/Phishing Filter Support

The warning message only went away on the 22nd or 23rd hour after Microsofts e-mail. Until then it was most distressing.

Its terrible to think what damage such false signals can do to individual websites who are going about their honest business. Anyway, Im glad this unpleasant matter has been resolved.

I must thank Pete of RC Airplane World from the SBI forum for his prompt advice. Thank you to Vic Plant of North Carolina USA, one of our readers, for telling me about this. As I use the Firefox browser, I wouldnt have known about this had it not been for Vic.

More importantly, Im grateful to Vic for believing that I wouldnt do such a thing.

Bangkok hotels more updates
20 November 2008 - Here are three more Bangkok hotels adding to the list for your online booking convenience.

Bangkok Airport Hotels - Suvarnabhumi

The JL Hotel has just been added to the list of airport hotels in the Ramkhamhaeng area.

Hotels in Ratchadaphisek - Thailand Cultural Centre subway station

The Amanta Ratchada is a serviced apartment near the Esplanade Mall which is within walking distance from the Thailand Cultural Centre subway station.

Hotels in Sukhumvit - Asoke skytrain/Sukhumvit subway stations

This new hotel in Sukhumvit Soi 16 goes by the very un-Thai name of Ma Du Zi Hotel.

There are more Bangkok hotels in the permalink. Incidentally, you can also book hotels in other parts of Thailand and the rest of the world. Just click on the relevant links in the first paragraph of the permalink.

Traditional Thai art
19 November 2008 - At a recent exhibition on traditional Thai art in the River City antique center on the works of a group of Thai artists, these were some of the paintings displayed.

These oils depict life in rural and urban Thailand, some homes from different regions, the cultural and ethnic diversity in Thai society and colorful festivals.

Life in Thailand


Rural Thailand


Home in Issarn (north-eastern Thailand)


Muslim home in southern Thailand

More information on the structures of Thai homes from the four major regions in Thailand, is available at traditional Thai houses.


Yaowaraj, Chinatown Bangkok

Thai festivals


Songkran the water festival


Candle procession during the Buddhist Lent


The popular Loy Krathong Festival

Culture & religion

Temple activites play a dominant role in life in Thailand. Heres a traditional Thai temple scene.


Temple scene

Our final photo is a fiery battle scene from the Thai Ramakien drama which has been adapted from the Hindu Ramayana epics. For the background to this drama, please see Khon dance.


Battle in the Ramakien

Hope you enjoyed these pictures. For other forms of traditional Thai art other than paintings, please see the permalink