Thailand's thousands of Internet cafes will soon turn into online training centers under a new Thai government plan called the "Good Net". Internet cafes are currently still under a recently-imposed online gaming curfew aimed at teenagers.
Three hundred Internet cafes nationwide have already registered to offer classes in computer skills and English language. The project launches on 4 December 2003 and was devised by the Information and Communication Technology Ministry of Thailand and the Thai Internet Cafe Club..
Chalermsak Lerplophatree, president of the Internet Entrepreneur Club of Thailand said : We want to change the bad perception that some parents have and who think that Internet cafes are a bad place and only used for online gaming. We will provide a place where their children can have fun and be educated at the same time.
The participating cafes must observe the ban on students using the Internet for playing games during school hours and the 10.00 pm curfew for below-18 youths. The restrictions are not yet mandatory, although the Thai authorities are said to be considering legislation. Networked games servers are blocked from 10pm to 6 pm except for registered adult users
Online gaming is popular in Thailand with over 700,000 registered Ragnarok gamers. Access fees are as low as 10 to 20 baht (US$0.25 to US$0.50) an hour.
Cafe owners have complained that students have simply switched from Internet gaming to LAN games, IRC (Internet Relay Chat) or other activities like clubbing.
The Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) plans to support the project with a 2,400 baht a month broadband (2Mbps) service for the Internet cafes. The National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec) will provide computer training courses and GMM Grammy will offer cellular phone services and legal downloadable music for Internet cafe customers as well.
Edutainment software will be developed by the Association of Thai Software Industry (ATSI), and Microsoft, Macromedia and IBM have also announced their support for the project.
Andrew McBean, Microsoft Thailand managing director, said Microsoft supported it because it would help people use technology directly and learn more about IT, the Bangkok Post reported. Microsoft has a monthly charge option plan in the works for Internet cafe operators using its software.
