GTA IV pulled from sale in Thailand

By Ellie Gibson Published 5 August, 2008

Following taxi driver's murder.

Grand Theft Auto IV has been taken off store shelves in Thailand after a teenager claimed the game inspired him to commit murder.

The 18 year-old confessed to robbing and killing a 54 year-old taxi driver and is now in custody, according to Reuters. He was reportedly an obsessive player of GTA IV and said he was recreating a scene from the game.

New Era Interactive Media, which distributes GTA IV in Thailand, has since issued a call to pull it from sale. "We are sending out requests today to outlets and shops to pull games off their shelves and we will replace them with other games," said New Era's Sakchai Chotikachinda. "We are also urging videogame arcades to pull the games from service."

Chief police investigator Veeravit Pipattanasak said, "[The teenager] said he wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game."

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (42) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Der_tolle_Emil #1 4 years ago

    Can you even rob a taxi in the game?

    Anyway, another sad story.

  • the_sas_man #2 4 years ago

    "Can you even rob a taxi in the game?"

    Did Barry George murder Jill Dando?

  • bad09 #3 4 years ago

    Did Barry George murder Jill Dando?

    No he didn't play GTA.....

  • Charlie_Miso #4 4 years ago

    Crime in Bangkok?!!?!?

    What next, a political coup followed by the ex PM's wife going down on tax evasion charges?

    What will the King think!!!

    GTA Bangkok please Rockstar

    edit; Military Coup damn it!
    Edited by 1 at 05/08/08 @ 09:01

  • the_dudefather #5 4 years ago

    I've been in this situation before, its way to easy to steal a taxi rather than become a passenger, you have to remember to HOLD 'Y' rather than just press it

  • w00t #6 4 years ago

    Apparently, it is as easy to steal a taxi in real life as it is in the game.

    I have a sneaking feeling that the trial and prison sentence might not be so easily navigated, however.

  • The_Inquisitor #7 4 years ago

    If it was a Tuc Tuc, I'd imagine it be easier to 'rob'.

  • TheNinkyNonk #8 4 years ago

    Come in, car 5

  • space_ace #9 4 years ago

    GTA Bangkok

    O_O

    +1

  • Subi #10 4 years ago

    Fortunately, Keith Vaz is busy at the moment.

  • bad09 #11 4 years ago

    @ Subi

    I actually agree with Vaz on that one (shock horror!), Dark Knight is incredibly dark a 15 cert would have suited better than 12. IMO of course :)

  • peterfll #12 4 years ago

    Hmmm. Perhaps I'll go and murder someone this evening and cite having to watch Ricky Gervais on the TV in GTA IV as the reason..... "self-parody induced rage". If it gets that talent-vacuum banned from TV screens it'll be worth it.

  • Fab4 #13 4 years ago

    In the next GTA installment, they should introduce a new unarmed attack movement...i dont know...lets call it the 'knee jerk'. Games dont kill people, people do.

  • Beek4257 #14 4 years ago

    "I have a sneaking feeling that the trial and prison sentence might not be so easily navigated, however."

    He probably won't have to endure a prison sentence since he's apparently up for a death sentence by lethal injection. Good luck respawning from that.

    @bad09: You have to be 16 or up to watch DK in Holland and I'd have to agree on that decision after having watched it. Gotham's no place for a minor.

  • J.C #15 4 years ago

    They always blame the games. he's a nutter end off.

  • Daikon #16 4 years ago

    "We are sending out requests today to outlets and shops to pull games off their shelves and we will replace them with other games,"

    That's what one does with empty shelf space.

    "We are also urging videogame arcades to pull the games from service."

    Bit puzzled by this one. Since when was there an arcade version of GTAIV?

  • kinky_mong #17 4 years ago

    I've been in this situation before, its way to easy to steal a taxi rather than become a passenger, you have to remember to HOLD 'Y' rather than just press it

    Hahaha! Observation of the day!

    Hmmm. Perhaps I'll go and murder someone this evening and cite having to watch Ricky Gervais on the TV in GTA IV as the reason..... "self-parody induced rage". If it gets that talent-vacuum banned from TV screens it'll be worth it.

    And this is pillock of the day.



  • jonsaan #18 4 years ago

    I don't recall murdering a cabbie in the actual game personally.

  • iter #19 4 years ago

    Cool. So it seems that it is easy to take down your rivals in the videogame industry in Thailand - just pay a poor person to commit crime and blame it on their product and watch as it is removed from sale...

  • peterfll #20 4 years ago

    Perhaps you should go and watch another repeat of "Extras" Kinky_mong.

  • anomagnus #21 4 years ago

    Yes, in the land of child sex slavery, video games are a real scourge of society

    and there was no way the Dark Knight should have gotten higher than 12

    it was ridiculous, the violence was matrix like, didn't matter how hard someone got hit, there was no damage! Batman beat the crap out of the joker, barely a goddamn bruise

    now rambo 4, there was gorgeous, lovely violence, that made me feel great! fuck you burma

  • johnnybrn #22 4 years ago

    The thing with Batman, was it was implied violence. In fact you dont see much of what actually happens thus the lower rating.

  • sneetch #23 4 years ago

    @bad09
    "I actually agree with Vaz on that one (shock horror!), Dark Knight is incredibly dark a 15 cert would have suited better than 12. IMO of course :)"

    It's 15A over here (in Ireland). I was surprised to find it was 12A in the UK. A bit... much for under 12s, I thought. All that... well, don't want to give spoilers. It's a great film though.

    As for the article it could be titled "Teenager inspired to give pathetic excuse in poor attempt to make himself the victim". I wonder if he is surprised that he hasn't just spawned outside of the police statement yet. WTF? It's been hours! Real life is a buggy piece of crap.

    Edit: Quotes require " "
    Edited by 1 at 05/08/08 @ 10:51

  • louyfitz #24 4 years ago

    Why does anyone take these people seriously? I mean someone kills a poor cabby then blames GTA, it's just dumb.

    and Batman, why would you make Batman any more than a 12? Kids are gonna wanna see Batman, if it's a 15 then wheres the fanbase?

  • silver-jon #25 4 years ago

    There will always be people who are seduced by the dark-side, as it were.
    Whether film, game, or good ol' rock'n'roll music, there's always going to be a modern cultural phenomenon on which the blame is hung.
    Because it is simpler to do that, and gets news media quick headlines and gives politicans voter support, than it is to actually address the imbalances and pressures of modern life which lead some people to feel a sense of alienation and resentment about society, where the inner monologue of their brain goes unchecked and the result is a sudden incident.
    Such as murdering a taxi driver just to see what it's like. Or hacking the head off a passenger in a coach. Or going 'postal' in a university.
    I hate the fact that everyone else suffers because some idiot had been raised without moral boundaries, respect for others, and emotional self control.

  • kangarootoo #26 4 years ago

    "and there was no way the Dark Knight should have gotten higher than 12
    it was ridiculous, the violence was matrix like"

    Errrr.... The Matrix was rated 15...

  • sneetch #27 4 years ago

    @louyfitz
    "and Batman, why would you make Batman any more than a 12? Kids are gonna wanna see Batman, if it's a 15 then wheres the fanbase?"

    Yeah, kids are gonna want to see Batman but not only kids. When I went to see it there wasn't a single person under 18 in the theatre, there's a lot of older Batman fans out there and I thought it wasn't really in the "family movie" style.

    It's like the game industry, it's not just you kids with your new fangled Pac-Man and Donkey Kong video games, some of us old timers are partial to the occasional game of Pong, hey we're "hip" too. ;)

    (I have no idea how old you are, obviously, I just chose to assign an arbitrary value of "youngster" to you, I hope you aren't offended. I would however, like to ask you to get of my lawn! Damn kids!)

  • The_Inquisitor #28 4 years ago

    Next time you brake your Nans vase, blame The Legend Of Zelda.

  • andywilkie35 #29 4 years ago

    this is obviously a very serious thing that has happened, but the thing that has drawn my attention the most is

    "Hmmm. Perhaps I'll go and murder someone this evening and cite having to watch Ricky Gervais on the TV in GTA IV as the reason..... "self-parody induced rage". If it gets that talent-vacuum banned from TV screens it'll be worth it. "

    Thats a very silly thing to say really isn't it. Maybe you got offended by his fat jokes, fatty

  • kinky_mong #30 4 years ago

    Perhaps you should go and watch another repeat of "Extras" Kinky_mong.

    Well you've shown what a philistine you are right there, because not only is Extras brilliantly funny, the Christmas special was a work of comedy genius and a superbly written commentary on the obsession with celebrity culture. The final 15 minutes where Andy breaks down were incredibly moving and show that Gervais is a great actor as well as incredible writer.

    "The Victorian freak shows never went away, they're just called Big Brother"

    Too right Ricky.

  • andywilkie35 #31 4 years ago

    agreed

  • peterfll #32 4 years ago

    You forgot to add "IMO" as that's all it is, an opinion. Your opinion.

    "One trick pony" that's my opinion.

    Holding it doesn't make me a phillistine, just different from yours.

    You twerp (if we're really getting into name calling).

  • kinky_mong #33 4 years ago

    I think your suggestion that you'd go and murder someone and blame it on Gervais' influence negates any arguments about opinions.

  • FFS #34 4 years ago

    Did they ban Child's Play 3 after Jamie Bulger was murdered?

    "No" you say? Why's that then? Ah, because video games are evil - I see.
    Edited by 1 at 05/08/08 @ 12:35

  • peterfll #35 4 years ago

    Did you not detect my sarcasm in my original post? Like, I could blame the appearance of RG in GTA IV as inducing murderous rage? I may think he's got a limited talent (IMO....) but there are limits.

    However, I DO think RG is responsible for the property crash, the rise in fuel prices, the credit crunch, knives on the streets etc etc.
    Edited by 1 at 05/08/08 @ 12:38

  • anomagnus #36 4 years ago

    @kangarootoo

    damn you man! you've made a mockery of me

    You'll pay, oh, you'll pay, YOU'LL ALL PAY!

  • chicknstu #37 4 years ago

    Since we're into banning things for everyone just because a couple of people go too far with it, can we go ahead and ban religion while we're at it?

  • Quak #38 4 years ago

    "Did Barry George murder Jill Dando?"

    He couldn't have as he was busy stalking - and planning the murder of - another woman that day, remember?

  • canIdoyabombsforya #39 4 years ago

    @FFS

    "Did they ban Child's Play 3 after Jamie Bulger was murdered?

    "No" you say? Why's that then? Ah, because video games are evil - I see. "

    Did Jamie's killers state they were recreating a scene from Child's Play 3 ?
    Perhaps read the article properly, GTA IVs own distributors pulled the game.

  • AOFanboi #40 4 years ago

    <em>Did they ban Child's Play 3 after Jamie Bulger was murdered?</em>

    As I remember it, the distributor recalled the movie after rumours that the killers had seen the movie surfaced - but the rumours proved unfounded.

    It's a bit like the "video games are evil" mantra raised after the Virginia Tech massacre - until his dorm mates said that the killer never played video games, which they found odd enough to notice...

  • Ryze #41 4 years ago

    I stood next to a Taxi in Manchester yesterday, gestured, 'Y' with my right-thumb, and nothing happened!

    What's wrong with the world?!?!?!

  • benstarkie #42 4 years ago

    Yes I have been blaming God for making me do awful things for years but they have yet to pull that awful airport-fictionbook 'The Bible'.

    And regarding the other tangent that this thread is on- I think that even implied violence is too much for a 12A. If 12yr olds are going to see it then fine, but you can take a 6 year old! Who but the most responsible (and wealthy) parent is going to vet it first for suitablilty????

    The implication of a pencil you-know-whatting is a little much for a lickle kid methinks. Still my nephew is 11 and thought it was the cats pyjamas....
    Edited by 1 at 06/08/08 @ 14:44