Laying Down The Law

[soundman]

Laying down the law

New regulations on karaoke, Internet gaming, film ratings set to take effect

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

Deputy government spokes-man Phumin Leetheeraprasert said the Cabinet also assigned the Office of the Council of State to adjust some of the wording before the regulations are implemented.

The new rules, which also cover Internet cafes, allow children to play computer games for more than three hours and up to six hours a day, says Culture Minister Teera Salakpetch.

Those under 15 will be allowed to use the service from 2pm to 8pm from Monday to Friday and from 10am to 8pm during holidays and school breaks, while those aged 15 to 18 can play games until 10pm, Teera says.

The Cabinet also agreed that an IT system to keep kids under 18 from playing computer games for more than three hours a day should be ready before a ministerial regulation amendment is proposed later, he added.

Seven movie categories

Other regulations approved concern film ratings. The minister said there were seven categories: educational films people are encouraged to see; films suitable for the general audience; films suitable for those over 13; films suitable for those over 15; films suitable for those over 18; films restricted for persons under 20, and films banned from being screened in the Kingdom.

Teera also said that the ministry has finished making the six rating symbols and would submit them to the National Committee on Film and Video in mid-August before they are implemented.

The symbols are: "Sor" (from the Thai word song serm that means "promoted") for educational films people are encouraged to see; "Thor" (from thua pai meaning "general") for films suitable for the general audience; "Nor 13+" (Nor is from naenam meaning "advisory") for films suitable for those over 13; "Nor 15+"; "Nor 18+", and "Chor 20+" (Chor is from chapor that means "specific") for films restricted for persons under 20.

The two regulations should take effect in mid-August.

-- The Nation 2009 07 29

[geovalin]

The Cabinet also agreed that an IT system to keep kids under 18 from playing computer games for more than three hours a day should be ready before a ministerial regulation amendment is proposed later, he added.

Impossible to implement.

In the evening, when neighbors come to play with my kids, there are 7 children in the room on 2 computers. Kids going from one computer to the other every 5 minutes.

Anyway, the whole session does not last more than 90 / 120 minutes at the worst.

[soundman]

This will probably put a few people out of work.

The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

[quiksilva]

I certainly hope that cinemas will enforce the film ratings. I recall watching the last Rambo film with a Thai family sitting behind me with a young child (4 or 5 years old) clearly very distraught (crying screaming etc) during some scenes that no child of that age should see.

The karaoke thing is a huge double standard, why crack down on that and turn a blind eye to massage parlours and go go bars?

[bojo]

It seems like there's a news story almost daily with regard to law tightening. What's the spin? What message are they really trying to get across. Is it the governments tactic to make amends for the chaos over the last couple of years?

Regards Bojo

[webfact]

<snip>

The new rules, which also cover Internet cafes, allow children to play computer games for more than three hours and up to six hours a day, says Culture Minister Teera Salakpetch.

Those under 15 will be allowed to use the service from 2pm to 8pm from Monday to Friday and from 10am to 8pm during holidays and school breaks, while those aged 15 to 18 can play games until 10pm, Teera says.

The Cabinet also agreed that an IT system to keep kids under 18 from playing computer games for more than three hours a day should be ready before a ministerial regulation amendment is proposed later, he added.

IMPOSSIBLE!. How can that work??? Every game shop has its own server! Does someone really think game shop owners are going to "kill" their own business and follow these rules... No! IMHO

TiT where they can't even provide proper internet connections...

[edwinchester]

I certainly hope that cinemas will enforce the film ratings. I recall watching the last Rambo film with a Thai family sitting behind me with a young child (4 or 5 years old) clearly very distraught (crying screaming etc) during some scenes that no child of that age should see.

The karaoke thing is a huge double standard, why crack down on that and turn a blind eye to massage parlours and go go bars?

Not enough kickbacks to be creamed off karaoke bars.

[dttk0009]

Nor 18+ movies may only be shown from 11am - 2pm and from 5pm until midnight.

[webfact]

I have a solution: Show only Cartoon Network 24/7 on every TV channel and in every theater!

sometimes interrupted by a soap opera!

[geovalin]

The karaoke thing is a huge double standard, why crack down on that and turn a blind eye to massage parlours and go go bars?

You are probably misinformed: there are NO massage parlors with sexy girls, NO gogo bars in Thailand. Anyway, prostitution and pornography are illegal in this country.

Edited July 29, 2009 by geovalin

[Teddy3943]

Laying down the law

How does legislation comes to power in Thailand? Has the proposed law to pass first the two chambers of parliament or is it solo playing by the cabinet?

[RKASA]

Welcome to little China.   

[hammered]

Social order campaigns. Very popular with the people. Just copying another Thaksin populist policy.

By the way dont half those entertainment places have a licence for a noodle stall?

[Dakhar]

"Amazing China Lite"

I never once set foot in a Karoke bar/club.... or a video game arena for that matter. No biggie for me, but to think Thailand could even begin to inforce such rules when they can't even stop people fromd driving their scooters down the wrong side of the road, is crazy.

[webfact]

This reminds me of Purachai Piumsombun...

[victor15]

The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

This will put half the karaoke parlours out of business, its because of the girls many Thai men go to the Karaoke bars, very rare you see a falaang in one outside of the tourist areas.

[raro]

This will probably put a few people out of work.

The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

Just deny access to karaoke to those who can't sing and the problem is solved

[webfact]

This will probably put a few people out of work.

The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

Just deny access to karaoke to those who can't sing and the problem is solved

then Thailand will lose all their Japanese tourists...

Edited July 29, 2009 by webfact

[thaibkk]

they (government) really know their priority overhere

I propose : stop prostitution , abuse of children, abuse of alcohol , stop selling sigarets

really I do

if Thailand want to get genuine tourists that spend money and not hookers, pimps and drug dealers

[animatic]

This will probably put a few people out of work.

The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

And a complete total loss of the Japanese trade too.

Most people either go as a group for a drunken singalong,

or as a few men looking for same WITH COMPANY.

not only will this kill most kareoki business it will

as SM points out put tens of thousands out of work.

But something will be worked out, bribes paid,

no one will be 'provided', they will just be 'other customers',

who happen to be 'female and lightly dressed' etc etc.

Still a nice sop to the hiso wives worried about their men out on the town,

and glossing on a patina of morality, leading to nothing much on the ground.

And besides it's western family vacation month, so clean up the streets a notch,

like washing thye side walks with a vinegar douche. Gonna be a mess next month any way.

So is the Commerce minister owner of Posidon gigantic house of ill repute signing off on this one too?

Edited July 29, 2009 by animatic

[hansnl]

Oh dear.

Really?

How sad!

Never mind.

How?

When?

Where?

Who?

Another lot of families without a breadwinner, or in this case, riceearner?

Never mind!

[grantbkk]

Amazing Thailand! Rather than Little China or China Lite I think the new advertising campaign should be tagged:

Thailand! Burma with Electricity

Before anyone goes off the rails, these new saber rattlings from today's flavor of the day government probably will go the way of the smoking law, prostitution laws and standards for English teachers. This government has done absolutely nothing positive over the past six months except handing out Bt2,000 checks to the poor. They got the idea from the last truly elected deposed prime minister. You got to love this place.

[moo9]

The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

This will put half the karaoke parlours out of business, its because of the girls many Thai men go to the Karaoke bars, very rare you see a falaang in one outside of the tourist areas.

Who cares? Business will continue as usual and that's ok!

Partners will not be provided but join voluntarily! Same as it ever was.

[Hanimal]

This is so sad. I wonder whether they actually look at what other democratic countries do before deciding on a strategy, or is it still a case that Thailand is the cleverest country in the world and can make rules and regulations that no one else uses, leading the world in innovative thinking?

If there were a genuine attempt to end Thailand's reputation as a land with a lot of "women of ill repute," I could understand. Putting a few hundred thousand girls out of work without any dole money or job creation schemes - mm, well, the idea may look good on paper. Arresting human traffickers, throwing away the key - on your side completely Mr. A.

Telling The Children not to play anything except what the government wants them to play and when it wants them to play, and telling adults when they can watch or not watch a film is obviously not a winning strategy. It doesn't help the economy and doesn't educate The Children to compete against the Cambodians or Vietnamese. I am not surprised that our puppet PM signs off on these things without reading them as he clearly is more concerned with losing the next election.

I don't think this is going to hurt tourism directly, but it does appear this government has no idea whatsoever of how to improve the country and its citizens.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi.

I for one agree to these changes. Have you ever been in the situation where you actually NEEDED an internet cafe, maybe because your computer just died or you were far away from home when your boss called to tell you that you urgently need to reply to a business e-mail? Then you got to an internet cafe and ALL the computers were occupied with kids playing senseless shoot-em-up games, with more kids waiting in line already? So you went looking for another internet cafe and it was the exact same situation there? Happened to me, not once but twice already.

And how about parents bringing their three-year-olds to the theater to watch horror movies which, in the western world, would be restricted to 18+ audiences? No wonder everyone in this country believes in ghosts when they start "learning" of their presence in empty houses from such a young age. On the other hand if the captain of the Titanic is shown on an oil painting during a documentary about the Titanic, his cigar is pixelated. As is any beer bottle. However a minute later Singha and Johnny Walker run their advertisements (carefully avoiding to show the product, as if not even kids knew what that product is!)

So if all television is censored to be watched by toddlers, i very much welcome a rating system for movies. Just make sure it is done right! I.e. do NOT censor all movies to be suitable for The Children but run uncensored versions that may even show a nipple or a cigarette at times and make sure the audience is 16 or 18 or whatever required (ID check is simple).

They have this sort of rating everywhere in the developed world and nobody complains, so why not here?

Best regards.....

Thanh

[hammered]

This reminds me of Purachai Piumsombun...

Who remains incredibly popular

[pedro01]

This will probably put a few people out of work.

The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

And a complete total loss of the Japanese trade too.

Most people either go as a group for a drunken singalong,

or as a few men looking for same WITH COMPANY.

not only will this kill most kareoki business it will

as SM points out put tens of thousands out of work.

The Japanese will not stop doing business in Thailand if this is implemented.

Thanyia Plaza will indeed be decimated but if you truly believe that

- the Japanese only do business here because of Thai Karaoke bars

- the Japanese aren't getting pretty comfortable with Nana & Cowboy for their kicks

Then you are mistaken.

I'm sitting in an office looking at 3 very bleary eyed Japanese guys now that stumbled into the office at 10am (for a 9 am meeting) with big grins on their faces.

Sure - they enjoy their Karaoke's but they will continue to do business here without them.

[anon467367354]

i'm sorry, am I missing something here? They are going to regulate adults singing, but allow children to waste their time infront of a monitor or tv screen? Whether it's something that can be enforced or not, how freakin' stupid, and who comes up with this stuff? Talk about losing face, who wants to put their face on this act of ignoramitousness? (I made that up) It's so much better to have our kids being non-constructive and out of the way, and 6 hours a day, gives mom and dad more time to not be parenting.

[uniq]

The karaoke thing is a huge double standard, why crack down on that and turn a blind eye to massage parlours and go go bars?

You are probably misinformed: there are NO massage parlors with sexy girls, NO gogo bars in Thailand. Anyway, prostitution and pornography are illegal in this country.

[onomataho]

So Soi Thaniya in the Silom District will become one big sushi restaurant now?