Thailand bans Grand Theft Auto IV

[Darksaviour69]

Copies of Grand Theft Auto IV have been pulled in Thailand after a teenager confessed to murdering a taxi driver.

The 18-year-old high school student is accused of stabbing the cab driver to death by trying to copy a scene from the game.
The biggest video game publisher in the south-east Asian country, New Era Interactive Media, has told retailers to stop selling GTA IV. It is due to be replaced by another video game title.

Thai newspapers say the teenager, whose name has been withheld, was arrested while trying to steer a cab backwards out of a Bangkok street with the driver still in the back seat.

Police claim the 18-year-old confessed to stealing the taxi and said he killed the 54-year-old driver after he fought back. The teenager could face the death penalty if he is found guilty. Bangkok police Captain Veerarit Pipatanasak said: "He wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game.

He wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game.

Thailand's Culture Ministry has recently been pushing for tougher regulation of games like Grand Theft Auto. It wants stricter age ratings and restrictions on the hours that people can play games in arcades.

Ladda Thangsupachai, director of the ministry's Cultural Surveillance Centre, said: "This time-bomb has already exploded and the situation could get worse. Today it is a cab driver, but tomorrow it could be a video game shop owner."

Via BBC

[gutbub]

That is a pile of bs. I hope they give that kid the death penalty. It's people like him who make games become banned. Also, I see lots things in movies and games, but I would never blame a crime I committed on either. Hopefully they see passed this kid's excuse.

[gamesquest1]

yeah and i killed a alien because i played half life.......reallly though, oh and i am also a hitman cos i played.....er hitman

[LazerTag]

First off how stupid, another blame your actions on something in society. "I heard they give people the death penalty in some places so I thought it would be OK if I kill someone too." You could go on and on.

[b]Today it is a cab driver, but tomorrow it could be a video game shop owner."

Via BBC

Don't get me wrong, anyone who dies at by somebody's hand I do feel for them and their friends and family, but this comment aboce, all I can think of is "I kill the video game shop owner because they pulled GTA IV off the shelves." ???!!???

[alanparker05]

Oh no!!! More politicians looking for something to blame for crime problems in their country, if i lived in america i could headbut a brick and sue the makers of super mario brothers

[mike_jmg]

This boy is either insane or has very little imagination to come up with a better motive

[JKKDARK]

Damn, I hate when it happens.

[Hypershell]

I'm amazed at how little people will question the mental health of an EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD who mimicks video game behavior.

Fry the schmuck.

[K1ckass]

This is ridicules, straight out stupid.
These kinda things are bound to happen cause there are still crazy people left in this world, but this one happened to like games.
If he was intereseted in books he might have tried to reenact some sort of crime from it or something, and only few people would care,
but now that it's related to games it's suddenly a hot topic!

I'm gonna go out now and go Gorden Freeman on some vortigaunts. *slap*

[goshogun1]

What an idiot. If he really did this because he wanted to imitate GTA IV, he is completely mental. Damn crazy killjoy ruining it for everyone. The GTA IV motive is a pretty lame excuse.