Net cafes, gaming in for a debugging

From Monday the Culture Ministry is get¬ting tough with unregistered Internet cafes.

To get registered the cafes have to meet tight standards.

"We will conduct checks across the country," minister Somsak Kiartsuranont says.

The crackdown is an attempt to end a spate of re¬cent problems at cafes.

The distribution of "dangerous" or violent computer or online games will be prohibited, too.

Outrageous

Some games have prompted rapes, murder and the sexual exploitation of young women.

National Culture Commission chief Preecha Gunteeya says games are being checked for gross content.

"If a game contains violence or encourages crimes it will be blacklisted. The Information and Communication Technology Ministry can block access to prohibited games online.

"If cafes offer these games they will be closed," Preecha says.

BURMese BUSTED

Police nab human trafficker and hope to round up gang bosses soonDaily Xpress

Police have captured 20 Burmese illegal immigrants and arrested a foot soldier of a major humantrafficking gang.

The migrant workers were caught at Tha Sae, Chumphon early yesterday morning.

Police were tipped off the gang would be bringing the ille¬gals via Tha Sae. The informa¬tion came from a source in Koh Song in Burma.

The pickup vehicle carrying the illegals was stopped in the town shortly after midnight.

The immigrants - aged between 13 and 37 - were huddled in the cabin and hiding in the tray under a tarpaulin. Police got lucky because driver, Wittaya Ritthikeson, 31, had a contact book on him. That list includes the names of several police officers.