Thai officials concerned people will get hurt playing Pokémon Go

Following reports of people around the world hurting themselves and getting mugged while playing Pokémon Go, officials are concerned over the public safety as the game is expected to launch in Thailand in September.

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will meet with local mobile operators and ask them to warn their customers who download the game of possible danger, according to NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith.

“People should be aware of the risks and not go solo on their hunt for monsters in unfamiliar places at odd hours. Underage players should have their parents closely monitoring them, bearing in mind that their own safety is more important than catching monsters,” he told Bangkok Post.

He added the popular smartphone game might bring people to places they normally avoid and therefore, putting their safety at risk.

Last week, 18-year-old Jerson Lopez de Leon was shot dead while searching for a digital monster with his cousin in Guatemala City. Local authorities were unsure of the motive, according to The Sun.

Created by Nintendo, Pokemon Go is an augmented reality game where players have to wander around in the real world — with real traffic and criminals — while keeping their eyes locked on their smartphone screens to find Pokémon monsters.

Takorn added that NBTC has no intention of intervening in the Pokémon business but it is their job to warn consumers.
 



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