Outlets to be banned within 500m of schools
The Education Ministry is to ask for a ban on game shops within a 500-metre radius of schools, ministry spokesman Wattana Sengpairoh said yesterday. Speaking after a meeting of the Education Ministry's public relations committee, Mr Wattana said the committee has discussed the impact of computer game shops on students and concluded that many students spent less time with their families and text books if these shops were nearby.
The discussion was held in the wake of Sunday's murder of a taxi driver by a game-addicted Mathayom 6 student, trying to recreate a scene from a game.
The committee will ask the Interior Ministry to enforce zoning regulations for computer game shops, similar to the zoning of alcoholic beverage outlets, which are banned within a 500-metre radius of schools.
It will also ask the Interior Ministry to limit the time youngsters spend in game shops. Young people aged between seven and 18 will be allowed to stay for up to two hours only _ from 4pm to 6pm on weekdays, he said.
Mr Wattana said the ministry will send a letter to Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Kowit Wattana, asking him to amend the Interior's Ministry's rules on game shop zoning and time limits for clients in certain age groups.
Mr Wattana added that his office will keep monitoring police crackdowns on unregistered computer game shops.
Police announced they will take action against more than 10,000 unregistered computer game shops in seven days.
He added his office will seek the cooperation of the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology as well as the Culture Ministry in regulating the importation of computer games, particularly those banned in other countries.
Mr Wattana said the public should be informed about computer games that have been banned in other countries.
About 50 officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau's juvenile sub-division yesterday searched computer game shops in nine areas and found most shop owners did not have licences.
Those shops also allowed people under 18 to continue playing games after 10pm. All the shops also had games featuring violence in which some characters killed others with knives or firearms, said Thirasak Suriwong, the superintendent of the sub-division.
The owners of the unlicensed shops were fined 500 baht each yesterday.
Pol Col Thirasak said throughout this month his officers will take action against game shop operators who allowed people under 18 in their shops after 10pm.
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