[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by Tchocky

There's a distinct rhyming bias.

say hacker cracker 20 times fast!

There seems to be more to this story however:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/050808_Ne...08_news003.php

GTA copycat killing leads to call for ban Teen was "obsessed" with violent game

BANGKOK POST AND REUTERS


The Family Network yesterday called on the Culture Ministry to ban the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) video game franchise after incidences of copycat violence by players.

In its statement, the network blamed GTA for at least two violent incidents, including the fatal stabbing of taxi driver Kuan Phokang on Sunday by Polwat Chinno, a 19-year-old student known to be an obsessive player of the game.

The incident raised concerns about violent video games after the suspect admitted that the robbery was inspired by a scene from GTA.

In the games, players assume the role of a criminal and are assigned to commit crimes such as carjackings, shootings and robberies in order to rise in the underworld.

According to the Family Network manager Wanchai Boonpracha, a shooting at Talad Thai wholesale market in Pathum Thani last year was also copied from one of the games.

He said the granting of a licence to the online version of the game by the Office of National Cultural Commission in August last year made it readily available at internet cafes and games arcades, increasing the likelihood of copycat crimes by teenagers.

"The Family Network demands the Culture Ministry revokes the licence of GTA and other games with inappropriate violent and sexual content" Mr Wanchai said in the statement.

He said that GTA was banned in several countries, including Australia and England.

In the US, where the video game was copyrighted, game ratings were introduced to help guide parents' and shopkeepers' decisions.

Pol Col Yanpol Yangyuen, IT chief attached to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), yesterday urged the authorities, and in particular mental health experts, to take steps to prevent copycat violence.

He noted that there were up to 20 violent games available in the market.

"Playing games is not a crime. Shooting takes place in the cyber world. But the game can make players aggressive and violent, so experts should investigate," he said.

Amporn Benjapolpitak of the Mental Health Department, doubted that the video game was entirely to blame for Mr Polwat's behaviour.

Ms Amporn yesterday interviewed Mr Polwat's friends and teachers at school and found that he had suffered from heightened anxiety.

"I don't think excessive playing of the game is the sole cause. There must be other causes too," she said.

"His friends told me that [his personality] had changed."

Deputy Public Health Minister Wicharn Meenchainant yesterday urged parents to pay more attention to video games their children were playing.

He said he ordered the Mental Health department to set up a panel to study and keep a watch on violent games as well as coordinating with the ICT Ministry to develop useful video games.

Meanwhile, the Taling Chan provincial court yesterday approved a police request to detain Mr Polwat for another 12 days for further questioning and collection of evidence.

Mr Polwat was charged with robbery causing death, and possession of knives.

Police also lodged a petition opposing bail on grounds that the case was serious and had attracted the attention of the general public.

Sukanya Chinno, the suspect's mother, said her family could not afford to post bail anyway, because they had no assets to post as a surety.

Mrs Sukanya urged other parents of children who were obsessed with video games to take precautions against them developing aggressive behaviour.

New Era Interactive Media, which distributes GTA in Thailand, yesterday halted sales of the game.

"We are sending out requests today to outlets and shops to pull the games off their shelves and we will replace them with other games," said Sakchai Chotikachinda, sales and marketing director of New Era.

"We are also urging video game arcades to pull GTA games from their line-ups," he said.