Crackdown on students in Internet shops

PHUKET TOWN: The owners of 25 Internet shops have agreed to impose greater controls on youngsters using their facilities, Pol Col Paween Pongsirin, superintendent of Phuket Town Police Station, said today. Speaking at a meeting with the press, he explained that police had received complaints from parents that their children were spending too much time playing computer games in the Internet shops. He explained that, at a meeting last week with the shop owners, he had told the owners that they should limit their opening hours to 4 pm – 10 pm on weekdays and 8 am – 10 pm at weekends and on holidays. He also told them that their shops should be open-plan, and that they should not sell alcohol. In addition, he suggested that they divide their shops into separate Internet and game zones. The shop owners, he said, had promised that they would not allow students into their shops after 9 pm, and would use good judgment when it came to allowing students to come into the shops during school hours.