The worldwide frenzy over the “augmented reality” mobile phone app, where users hunt animated characters with locations set in the real world, landed in Thailand earlier this month, quickly resulting in a flurry of accidents while players were not paying attention to their surroundings.
Top-ranking police have ordered officers to crackdown on people playing the game while driving, while Tourism and Sports Permanent Secretary Phongphanu Sawetrun has announced that his ministry has already engaged in talks with the copyright owner of Pokemon Go in Thailand about adding Thailand’s important tourist sites to the game to attract Gen Y travellers.
To this, The Phuket News asked readers, “Is Pokemon Go a boon or curse for Thailand?”
A total of 51 per cent of all respondents to the poll voted, “Curse, this game will result in more unnecessary accidents and crimes, and people aren’t actually experiencing their surroundings when they play.”
A further 24% voted, “No opinion, I don’t care if people play Pokemon Go or not.”
Only 14% of respondents said that Pokemon Go was a good thing for Phuket, casting their votes for, “Boon, this game will help promote tourism among locals and foreigners, who will in turn get to explore their surroundings more.”
Just 11% of all people who took part in the poll voted, “Both, there are an equal number of benefits and drawbacks of Pokemon Go for Thailand.”
For the full poll results, click here.
If your preferred response was not available, feel free to add to in the comments section below.
To see our previous poll, “Is the Thai work permit necessary?”, click here.
If you have a suggestion for an online poll, email execeditor@classactmedia.co,th with ‘Poll Suggestion” in the Subject line.