Microsoft has apologized for its latest Encarta Encyclopedia Deluxe 2000 CD-ROM's calling Bangkok "a center of commercial sex," according to a local newspaper report.
The Nation reported Microsoft vice president for home and retail Robert Bach wrote the newspaper asking it to communicate the apology, promising the new version available come September would amend the reference.
Encarta 2000 went on sale last October, but the "center of commercial sex" reference to the Thai capital launched a public protest by women's rights activist and Thai Web users.
''As soon as we were made aware of this issue, my team worked to remedy the situation by researching and rewriting the article on Bangkok -- one that reflects its rich culture and history,'' the Bach letter says. ''This revision will be available on both Encarta Online Encyclopedia and the Encarta Online Deluxe Web site by midnight of Feb. 21. We regret the displeasure that this has caused all Thais and want to assure you that we are doing everything to ensure a quick revision."
This isn't the first time Thailand has been outraged by published references to the country's sex trades. In 1993, the country objected to Longman Group UK, a dictionary publisher, for describing Bangkok as a "place where there are a lot of prostitutes." Longman apologized and removed the dictionary off the shelves at once, the Associated Press says.
