Tropico 5, the latest strategy game from Kalypso Media, has been banned by Thailand, on the grounds that it could affect the country's stability and harm national security.
Despite its lighthearted and humorous content, Tropico 5 seems to be causing concern among those in power. In this game, the player assumes the role of a dictator on an island, fending off military coups, rigging elections, “disappearing” dissenters, and generally ruling with an… iron fist.
The Associated Press, citing a local distributor of the game, reports that the censorship board, acting on behalf of Thailand, has suspended sales of Haemimont's games, fearing they could put the country's stability at risk.
Recall that in May of this year, the Thai military staged a coup, overthrowing the government. The country is now governed by the “National Council for Peace and Order” (NCPO, as the military junta is called). One of the tasks of the military council is to crack down on radical elements in the media.
More generally, the country has a long tradition of censoring books, television, and the media, but this new measure appears to be indicative of the new government's tougher stance on freedom of speech.
