Tropico 5 is a threat to national security, apparently

Let me start by saying this: if your country views Tropico 5 as a threat to national security, you need to move. That's pretty much admitting that you have no security. You probably shouldn't even be a country. That's like my wife banning Catherine because she believes it's a threat to our marriage. It's a bad comparison, but you know what I'm saying.

The censors at the film and video censorship office under Thailand's military-led government banned the city-building game. Their reason was that it could hurt the country's security. New Era Thailand marketing manager Nonglak Sahavattanapongsaid that they banned it because they feared "some part of its content might affect peace and order in the country." No further explanation was given.

If that's the case, it sounds like you worry your country is just like the island nation in the game. And so you should be overthrown. After all, Thailand's military has been ruling the nation since General Prayuth Chan-ocha staged a coup in May. It's the 18th time that has happened in Thailand in the past 80 years. The latest overthrew a democratically elected government. There's also, supposedly, a series of detentions in secret locations for activists, lawyers, journalists and politicians.

Nonglak went on to say, "Actually it's a good game with positive reviews. We've had licenses to distribute Tropico 3 and 4 before, but in the fifth installment, the story line has developed further and there might be some part of it that's not appropriate in the current situation."

You mean that part about overthrowing the government with the use of force?

Let it be known that in 2012 the country also banned a Thai adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. The reason: it could cause divisiveness among the people. Damn… imagine if they played BioShock Infinite.

You can follow Senior Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. Or you can email him at LLiebl@GameZone.com.

Associated Press