In Thailand, video games have been under government attack ever since the August slaying of a taxi driver by a 19-year-old man who reportedly told police he was re-enacting a scene from Grand Theft Auto.
In today's edition of Bangkok newspaper The Nation, an editorial terms games "a menace":
A number of Thai children have become addicted to computer games, which can be destructive not only to their social behaviour but also their studies.
There have been a series of cases of some children unknowingly committing violent acts because they were imitating scenes they have seen on computer games, some of which contain graphic images...
A survey from the Culture Ministry revealed that Thai children spent around 2 hours a day playing computer games. About 80 per cent of them choose the combat-style, action-packed games, some of which come with graphic and violent images. The addiction can affect their personality as they become more prone to bursts of anger and violence. Without proper guidance, some are unable to distinguish between fantasy and the real world.
GP: As GamePolitics reported last month, the Thai Ministry of Culture banned five games.
Comments
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
Just wanted to share something I found on Wikipedia about this Thai newspaper The Nation ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nation_(Thailand) ) :
"Its editorial line has been described as "rabidly" critical of the government of Thaksin Shinawatra, and highly royalist and supportive of the Council for National Security military junta."
Furthermore, the Nation Multimedia Group, that owns this newspaper, was the subject of many controversies.
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
It's called a political smokescreen. You basically stir up one controversy to cover the stench of another, thereby making people think you're doing something, when in fact you're just making yourself look good. Standard politics, though its use becomes more frequent as the gov't becomes more corrupt. Digging for excuses so to speak.
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
Having been to Thailand many times. In Bangkok, there is this inner city called "Patpong" which SHAMES other boys towns like Tiajuana or Matamoras or Del Rio. It is seriously the SIN CITY capital of the world.
How they can focus in on computer games while completely ignoring Patpong is beyond me.
Google "Patpong" and learn the hypocrisy of their morality.
Side note: I had a BLAST in Patpong. ;-)
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
They spend a whopping two hours playing these games, and this gameplay alters their brains and make them unknowingly commit heinous acts, like killing people (and later re-creating the scene for police, despite unkowingly commiting the act...), and writing god awful newspapers filled with more bullshit than a bulls bowels.
Oh, and Thailand...stop fucking children and I'll try to understand what the fuck you're talking about.
-Remember kids, personal responsibility is for losers!
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
So let me get this straight, they unknowingly commit these so called acts? Pft, what, were they sleep crime committing or something?
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
Until Thai gamers fight for their right to play games, I refuse to feel bad for them.
--- Official Protector of Videoland!
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
Wait, wait..."unkowingly" causing violence? Strange, I thought that 19 year old (not a minor, not that it matters...) was able to reconstruct the crime scene for the police.
Two hours constitutes addiction now? Jeez. I'm on my way to TV addiction then with the whole hour and a half of Adult Swim that I watch.
Yeah it's not my country or government. Still this whole situation is so suspicious and the logic is...well, there's not much logic to go by.
Tea and cake or death! Tea and cake or death! Little Red Cook-book! Little Red Cook-book!
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
Is it just me, or does it seem like Thailand is just catching up to the west in the cultural introduction of games?
I mean, this was a popularized point of view, say, 10 years ago or so. Games are ruining children's school lives, games are making kids violent, games are blurring the line between reality and fiction to children.
Hell, a lot of this kind of garbage gets repeated over here still, so maybe they're not all that far behind.
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
It really is the taxicab gunshot heard around the world!
Something tells me that the Thai government had it in for the gaming industry all along- they were just waiting for an appropriate spark to incite them to take action.
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
This, definitly this. It's definitly like ya said, this was just the kinda thing that they were waiting for it seems.
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
OH NO! Kids spend 2 WHOLE HOURS A DAY in front of a game! They only spend 8 hours sleeping, 7 hours in school, and 7 hours doing other tasks like hygiene, chores, etc. What are we ever going to do?
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
yeah, it's odd to hear them bash a persons choice of entertainment. OH NO, GAMES. Maybe they should go play Hockey, it costs way more, has the potential to cause bodily injury, encourages violence between players (the real kind of violence, not button mashing).... oh why do I bother. The people who need to read this never will.
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
There is no point of pointing out the flaws. We know we can't win, the government doesn't have common sense. All we can do is make sure that they looks like idiots so other countries don't follow.
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
Hey, I just had a dream that cheeseburgers cause racism.
Can I write that factually-based piece of non-spuriousness into a newspaper article too?
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
Incomming message from Thailand Government to Parents in Thailand.
"You no longer have to raise your kids, we're going to do it for you."
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
"We are experts at micromanagement."
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
"We promise we are not trying to raise your kids to get them to sign up for the military later on in life. We just care about what is best for them, and figure we can raise them better than you... I mean, take the burden off of you to raise your children."
How to set Xbox 360 Parental Controls
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
Oh God. I just facepalm'd so hard.
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
Wait, I thought we were supposed to accept the decisions of other countries no matter what. Real Politik and all of that? Why the attack on the Thai Ministry of Culture? I'm sure the Thai people are in as much support of it as the British people are in of the BBFC.
-Ultimately what will do in mankind is a person's fear of their own freedom-
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
Un-educated luddite Thai parents: Maybe
Educated 18 year old Thai gamer: Definately no
Re: Thai Newspaper Urges Attack on Computer Game Menace
We aren't all in favor of the BBFC.
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