Thailand Begins Crackdown on 'Dangerous Games,' Bans Five Titles

As part of its ongoing attempts to protect youth from video games, the Thailand government has officially banned five video games from sale within the country and established a set of guidelines to help prevent access to "dangerous games."

The government claims that gaming is "a problem which is obsessive and has an (adverse) effect on the behavior of children and teens," going by a translation of an official press release by CNET Asia writer Jesada Chandraprasert.

The five banned games are as follows:

• Hitman

• 300

• Killer 7

• Hitman: Blood Money

• 50 Cent Bulletproof

The above represents almost half of a Thailand-issued list of dangerous and banned video games. As GamePolitics notes, Thailand's list curiously mirrors an earlier list of influential violent games that was penned by Detroit prosecutor Kym Worthy.

While Grand Theft Auto IV is not technically banned in Thailand, the government has essentially banned the game by halting its sale and distribution within the country.

Word of increased regulation in Thailand follows the recent murder of a cab driver by a teenager who claimed he was inspired by Grand Theft Auto IV. Thailand later commented that game developers, such as GTA maker Rockstar North, should be prosecuted in the event that their games inspire real-life crime.

"There are no laws which require establishing a game ratings system in Thailand, only a proposal," explained Thailand culture minister Somsak Kiatisuranun. "However, gaming technology has advanced quite far, which makes it necessary to have a rating system and supporting laws. We are making this happen and but will take some time."

In addition to banning the above games, Thailand will educate its population about the risks of games, encourage the sale and development of educational software, and more closely inspect the internet cafes and stores that provide "dangerous games."

The issue of online gaming is a hot topic in the area, with China recently claiming that over 4 million of its youth are addicted to "unhealthy" online games.