Censors under the military regime have banned a nation-building simulation computer game, saying it threatens national security, a game distributor says.
The censorship office blocked sales of Tropico 5, fearing ''some part of its content might affect peace and order in the country,'' New Era Thailand marketing manager Nonglak Sahavattanapong said.
She said the office under the Culture Ministry had offered no further explanation.
Tropico 5 is the latest version of a game released by Kalypso Media. It allows players to take the role of president of a tropical island, draft a constitution and manage the country, with the option of controlling the media and ruling as an iron-fisted dictator.
''Actually it's a good game with positive reviews. We've had licences to distribute Tropico 3 and 4 before, but there might be some part of the latest version that's not appropriate in the current situation," Ms Nonglak said.
Chai Nakornchai, chief of the ministry's Culture Promotion Department, declined to comment, saying he needed to see a report from the censor unit first.
Sithichai Theppaitoon, a director of the Thai Software Game Industry Association, said the ban was an "overreaction" and said it would be difficult to forbid purchasing games that can be bought online.