Thai police warn children against watching Squid Game

Pol Gen Krissana Pattanacharoen, Deputy Spokesperson of the Royal Thai police, has said that he is worried about children who may imitate the survival game from the Netflix series Squid Game, causing physical harm and property damage, Khaosod reports.

So far, there are still no reports of any incidents in Thailand related to the Squid Game.

Pol Gen Krissana said on 10 October that amid the spread of Covid-19, children who have to attend online classrooms at home rely more on social media and watching the series has become a popular activity.

However, some series or movies, including Squid Game, may contain inappropriate content and violent behaviour. The audience may think that they are in the same situation and follow the violent behaviour, leading to criminal convictions.

The parents should monitor their children’s use of social media and consumption of media. Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk is aware of the danger and the police are working hard to raise public awareness about the danger to provide people with immunity to stay out of crime.

If concerned citizens spot anything suspicious, they can call the Royal Thai Police hotline at 191 or 1599, available 24 hours, said Pol Gen Krissana.

Squid Game, rated as 18+, is among the ten most popular series in Thailand.

In the Korean series, 456 people in debt or desperate for money participate in traditional children games to earn a tremendous reward. People who lose will die. The series has raised concerns about the personal debt crisis in South Korea and questions of religion, immigration, and the economy. 

After its release, the series caused a global sensation as the most-watched Netflix Series of all time and has led to real-world implications.

According to South China Morning Post, a man in South Korea who has the same phone number that is given in the series has received thousands of prank calls, affecting his mental health. Huh Kyung-young, a South Korean presidential candidate, has offered to buy the number for 100 million won.

In the United Kingdom, the Telegraph reports that advertisements for a real-life version of Squid Game are circulating online. The losers will be “aggressively stampeded towards, and shot in the face with a BB gun.” The Metropolitan Police has warned everyone against taking part.

 

Since 2007, Prachatai English has been covering underreported issues in Thailand, especially about democratization and human rights, despite the risk and pressure from the law and the authorities. However, with only 2 full-time reporters and increasing annual operating costs, keeping our work going is a challenge. Your support will ensure we stay a professional media source and be able to expand our team to meet the challenges and deliver timely and in-depth reporting.

• Simple steps to support Prachatai English

1. Bank transfer to account “โครงการหนังสือพิมพ์อินเทอร์เน็ต ประชาไท” or “Prachatai Online Newspaper” 091-0-21689-4, Krungthai Bank

2. Or, Transfer money via Paypal, to e-mail address: [email protected], please leave a comment on the transaction as “For Prachatai English”