No matter how many times we hear about this sort of thing, we never see it coming.
A 12-year-old boy in Bangkok commited suicide by leaping off a sixth floor veranda at his school. What drove him to take his own life this way? Being banned from playing video games. Apparently, the boy's parents thought he was playing too much and decided to intervene with the ban-hammer.
An investigation into the case revealed that the boy had used his cell phone numerous times, sending complaints about the his parents' decision to his friends. He even hinted at the suicide by texting, "Tomorrow is my last day."
His friends told police that the boy arrived at school normally, like any other day. But after putting his bag down at his desk, he went up to the sixth floor with a "grim" expression. And we all know what happened next...
Thailand's Ministry of Health, comprised of sensitive and sympathetic individuals, criticized the parents for improperly handling the addiction, thus driving their son to suicide. The Ministry stated, “For children addicted to gaming, the most effective approach is not to ban games but to regulate the time spent gaming.”
