Thailand shrugs off Y2K fears

BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand shrugged off fears it has acted too late to combat the millennium computer bug Friday, but advised citizens to stockpile food ‘just in case.’ Deputy Prime Minister Trirong Suwankiri hit out at claims that the United States and other nations do not trust Thailand’s effort to beat the Y2K bug. “Nobody trusts each other; we also do not trust other countries, especially the United States where there are lots of computer systems,” he told reporters. Thailand has declared its readiness to combat the bug, but Trairong advised people to take precautionary measures, including updating bank accounts, stockpiling food and looking up emergency telephone numbers. A recent CIA report said that in the Asia-Pacific region disruptions are most likely in rail transportation, ports, health services, and small- and medium-sized businesses. The year 2000 (Y2K) software glitch could make computers misread the year 2000 as 1900, triggering unpredictable malfunctions, experts say. All government agencies in Thailand are required to report on their Y2K readiness every month.