Up to 71 percent of surveyed internet users in Hanoi come to internetcafes to play games, the municipal Department of Information andCommunications has said.

The survey was conducted between August and December this year in 29districts, communes and towns in Hanoi on internet use by local citizensat internet cafes.

It reveals that Son Tay Town has the largestnumber of online game players with 71 percent, followed by the districtsof Phu Xuyen, 52 percent; Dong Anh, 48 percent and Phuc Tho, 47percent.

Meanwhile, the Government has taken many measures tocrackdown on online games after a public outcry over their negativeinfluence on the youth. Many reports have blamed online games for schooltruancy and even the increase in juvenile crime.

The Ministry of Information and Communications has banned online gaming at internet cafes from 10pm to 8am.

Vietnamhas 12 million gamers, the majority of whom are students and officeworkers, according to the Vietnam Software Association.

Accordingto a report released from the US-based firm Pearl Research last year,the number of gamers in Vietnam will exceed 25 million by 2014.

Thesurvey also shows that around 31 percent people use the internet forchat or mail and 35 percent people use the Internet to seek information.

Pupilsand students account for the highest rate of internet users at cafeswith Ung Hoa and Chuong My districts having the highest number of pupilsusing the internet at cafes (73 percent) while Tu Liem and Cau Giaydistricts have the highest number of students using the internet with 65and 64 percent, respectively.

There are more than 2,100 internetcafes in the city, and about 1,870 cafes have registered with localauthorities, according to the survey.

In 2011, inspectors fromthe Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism inspected 71 Internetcafes and fined 20 shops a total of 37.5 million VND (1,800 USD) forviolating regulations. 10 other internet cafes also had their internetconnection cut due to violations, many of which included the failure tostop Internet services after 10pm.

The city has so far cracked down around 500 internet cafes operating near schools.

Underthe current regulations, internet shops are not allowed to operatewithin 200 metres of schools and must close between 10pm and 8am.

Headof the Post and Telecommunication Office of the Department ofInformation and Communications Nguyen Tien Sy said the survey's resultswould be used as data for local authorities in managing internet cafesand online gamers.

The department plans to propose the municipalPeople's Committee to tighten planning on internet cafes by ensuringmost are situated at entertainment centres or supermarkets./.