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Date: 22nd June 2000, Bangkok Post

Harmless fun 'can have dark side'

Aphaluck Bhatiasevi

Controls over video games were proposed by the Mental Health Department yesterday amid growing concern about their hold on youth.

The department wants games rated by age group, said Deputy Health Minister Khamron na Lamphun, who called on parents to pay more attention to the physical and mental development of their children.

Playing video games for hours every day could distract children from their homework, meals and even their parents, he said. Excitement from the games could lead to stress and high blood pressure, said Dr Somchai Chakrabhand, deputy director of the department.

Some games fostered creativity but the most popular ones were violent. "Like books, games should be rated to match age groups, graded according to their complexity," said Dr Somchai.

Sound-effects and contrasting colours flashing on the screens should be controlled to ensure they pose no hazard. A survey of 90 youngsters aged 13-15 found at least half spent three or four hours daily at game stations in department stores and video parlours. Many parents look on the games as harmless fun and seldom realise the adverse effects, said Somporn Inthkaew, a member of the survey team.

Up to 30% played for up to four hours per visit, 33% three hours, 29% two hours and 8% at least one hour.

Kruawan Limaphichat, also on the study team, said parents surveyed were aged 28 to 53. Some were too young to make accurate judgments of their children, indicating a tendency to spoil them.

The average income of parents who allowed their children to play regularly at department stores was 17,500 baht a month, she said.