Thailand to impose online game curfew

Thailand's Information and Communications Technology Minister announced this week that the Thai government plans to block access to domestic and foreign online game servers between 10pm and 6am from July 15 to September 30, according to a report by The Straits Times.

The Internet cafes where online games are commonly played will also have their hours restricted, in an attempt to prevent children from spending excessive time playing the games. The Korean game Ragnarok Online is a particular target of the government's attention, due to its sudden popularity in Thailand, where 600,000 players have signed up in the seven months since the game's introduction. The effectiveness of the curfew will be evaluated after September 30, and stricter measures could be considered.