Thailand's government bans Tropico 5

The military-controlled government of Thailand has taken steps to remove "a public threat to peace and order" by banning a computer game that they fear may threaten national security. The game in question is Tropico 5, the political simulator whereby players control a tropical island, draft new constitutions, govern over their people as they see fit, and even suppress the rule of law via military means.

"It's a good game with positive reviews," New Era Thailand's marketing manager, Nonglak Sahavattanapong, told the Associated Press. "We've had licences to distribute Tropico 3 and 4 before, but in the fifth instalment, the storyline has developed further and there might be some part of it that's not appropriate in the current situation."

Exactly why the Thai government has taken these steps remains unclear, although it's likely it has something to do with the potential scenarios that are present in the game, and their proximity to events that have happened in the country in recent months (events that saw General Prayuth Chan-ocha stage a coup and overthrow the democratically-elected government in May).

No doubt Haemimont Games will be disappointed that their game has been banned from the territory in question, but then it's also likely that the publicity created by this situation everywhere else will more than make up for it.