B140mn CCTV project punted to support Phuket ‘Smart City’ lifeguards

[webfact]

B140mn CCTV project punted to support Phuket ‘Smart City’ lifeguards

The Phuket News

 

The B140 million CCTV system is aimed at helping lifeguards identifying swimmers in distress in Phuket's southwest monsoon surf. Photo: The Phuket News / file

 

PHUKET: The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) has revealed plans to spend B140 million on a CCTV system to somehow support lifeguards to provide better protection for swimmers at Phuket beaches during the dangerous southwest monsoon.

 

Pracha Asawathira, Manager of the DEPA office in Phuket, has presented the plan to Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong, reports ManagerOnline.

 

However, the story, posted yesterday (May 22), did not define when the plan was presented. The plan has yet to be reported by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/b140mn-cctv-project-punted-to-support-phuket-smart-city-lifeguards-67226.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-05-24

[cornishcarlos]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

B140 million on a CCTV system to somehow support lifeguards

 

Well, firstly, there's no lifeguards and secondly, how can they be so brazen about obvious corruption !!

CCTV seems to have a history of costing extortionate amounts in Thailand ? 140mil for 40 cameras, that's 3.5mil per camera !!!

Someones getting a new car...

Edited May 23, 2018 by cornishcarlos

[Samui Bodoh]

Er... why not just hire enough lifeguards?

 

“...CCTV cameras will support lifeguards to be more effective in their work, especially while there are not enough lifeguards to take care of all the tourists,” he added.

Apparently a “special program” will allow the CCTV cameras to identify when swimmers are no longer in the designated safe swimming zones, and send direct alerts to a mobile phone via an application, Mr Pracha explained..."

 

Again, if you have enough lifeguards, then you don't need an "Alert" sent to a mobile phone. And BTW, if the life guards are staring at their phones, they are not watching the water.

 

Just hire enough life guards.

 

This is not a difficult issue.

 

Just hire enough life guards.

[cornishcarlos]

18 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Just hire enough life guards.

 

But make sure they are competent life guards, not just 8000 baht/month uniform fillers...

[z42]

This reeks of corruption. This is a frankly stupid proposal as I have never heard of anything as absurd as CCTV on a beach, it is actually quite creepy in all honesty.

 

Also the price tag for the system is so exorbitant that it in no way tallies with reality. 140 million baht for 40 cameras would make each camera cost 100,000usd plus each. There is no mention of a control room, and only a mention of a "special program" that can identify problems in real time. Jesus christ.

 

Am sorry but if this flat out scam surely has to be rumbled for what it is

Edited May 23, 2018 by z42

[PatOngo]

59 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Er... why not just hire enough lifeguards?

 

“...CCTV cameras will support lifeguards to be more effective in their work, especially while there are not enough lifeguards to take care of all the tourists,” he added.

Apparently a “special program” will allow the CCTV cameras to identify when swimmers are no longer in the designated safe swimming zones, and send direct alerts to a mobile phone via an application, Mr Pracha explained..."

 

Again, if you have enough lifeguards, then you don't need an "Alert" sent to a mobile phone. And BTW, if the life guards are staring at their phones, they are not watching the water.

 

Just hire enough life guards.

 

This is not a difficult issue.

 

Just hire enough life guards.

Have you never seen a CCTV camera swim out and rescue a swimmer in distress?.....These numpties will never get it right!

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

‘Smart City’

Smart is a word that should be struck from the local vocabulary.......it rarely applies to........anything!

[happy chappie]

Mercedes have just taken an order for a fleet of cars.3.5 million per camera and no one questions why so much.if it's anything like the lifeguard fiasco then they probably only work for a week.

[Anak Nakal]

140,000,000 Baht?

CCTV not work in Thailand!

What real reason for money?

[ronaldo0]

Ah so this could be the reason why it is taking so long to get the lifeguards on the beach . They are all just looking at it before they roll it out and just checking they have covered every single way to possibly get money from it !!

Some people obviously want a new car and think nobody will see through this cash cow idea or question why a single camera costs so much when bought in bulk !!

Just wait till they put the bill in for the lifeguard cans , swimwear and jet skis !!

[beechbum]

What was the yearly budget previously for lifeguards, 13mil or so but it was said to be to much by the powers that be!!

[madmitch]

This really is unbelievable.

 

140m for 40 cameras or maybe 10 million a year to pay the salaries and training of 40 new lifeguards.

 

And even a lifeguard at the back of the beach having a chat and a smoke is more useful than a cctv camera that probably won't work!

 

 

[Psimbo]

Another CCTV money pit. Funny how these Billy Whiz systems always appear to be down when they are actually needed. Someone has made fortunes off these scams over the years.

 

Remember the recent traffic cameras with no tickets due to a lack of budget? 

[steelepulse]

This new Bangkok based company must really have some pull to even consider proposing such an absurb idea.  They can't get competent lifeguards on all  the beaches, but they can extract another 140 mil out of their deal for some super smart cameras.  At 3.5 mil each, that's just about enough for a new E class with a reverse camera.

 

 

[Psimbo]

4 hours ago, steelepulse said:

This new Bangkok based company must really have some pull to even consider proposing such an absurb idea.  They can't get competent lifeguards on all  the beaches, but they can extract another 140 mil out of their deal for some super smart cameras.  At 3.5 mil each, that's just about enough for a new E class with a reverse camera.

 

 

From the rumours i have been hearing about the recent checks on encroachment in Kamala there is more than a hint of green  (if you get my drift) involved in this lifeguard scenario- it lends credence to this thing being based in Bangkok. Hark back to the end of March when the volunteers were removed from Kamala beach.

 

I've heard nothing substantial to support this but there seems to be more than a whiff of truth behind it and there's clearly a huge amount of money involved. My ear is currently to the ground.

Edited May 24, 2018 by Psimbo

[Puccini]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

B140mn CCTV project...

 

Just when I am getting used to seeing m (metre) being abused by the media to mean million I now see the combination of the two prefixes m (milli) and n (nano) abused also to mean million. What will they think of next?

Edited May 24, 2018 by Puccini