Surveillance Cameras To Be Installed In Downtown Bangkok

[george]

Surveillance cameras to be installed in downtown Bangkok

BANGKOK, July 17 (TNA) – Security surveillance is being upgraded in the Thai capital. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in cooperation with the private sector is installing closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in a prime shopping area for the safety of Bangkok residents and tourists.

Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin and Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association chairman Chai Srivikorn signed an agreement for a safety system development project at the shopping street in the Ratchaprasong area.

Under the phase one project, a budget of more than Bt20 million will be spent on CCTV camera installation in public areas, including sidewalks, and pedestrian bridges connecting building to the BTS elevated train stations.

The BMA will clear the area in Ratchaprasong, Ploenchit, Rama I, and Ratchadamri for the association to install surveillance cameras to cover over one million square kilometres.

The CCTV surveillance system will be linked to the Metropolitan Police Bureau to monitor the area around the clock.

The BMA will work with the military, police force, and volunteers to provide security all the time for the safety of the downtown shopping area.

The project follows a report on July 10 from government security units warning that southern insurgents may attempt to create unrest in Bangkok.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol. Lt-Gen. Adisorn Nonsee said police will give special attention to tightening overnight patrols in metropolitan Bangkok between 10pm and 6am daily.

--TNA 2007-07-17

[Mid]

Nation wide actually ,

Thailand opts for state-of-art surveillance systems

Tuesday 17 July 2007 10:40:35 PM (GMT+7:00)

BANGKOK, July 17 (TNA) – The cabinet meeting on Tuesday gave a green light to a project to install a surveillance and censor system across the country, said Prime Minister's Office assistant spokesperson Chotechai Suwannaporn.

MCOT Public Company Limited

[rychrde]

“I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own.”

The Prisoner.

welcome to UK, the most monitored country in the world.

at least we will be safe in the village.

[Scott]

Several things:

1. Turn on the cameras.

2. Maintain the cameras.

3. Try to get cameras that can see under all the plastic sheeting in front of the stalls!

[Jai Dee]

Cabinet approves CCTV installation at commercial transit areas nationwide

The Cabinet has approved a budget of 740 million baht for the installation surveillance cameras in high-risk commercial transit areas.

The Deputy Spokesman to the Prime Minister's Office, Mr. Chotichai Suwanaporn, reports that Cabinet meeting yesterday (Jul 17) has approved the installation of close circuit television (CCTV) as proposed by the Ministry of Finance. The cameras will be part of officials’ efforts to ensure the security of import and export transit areas throughout the nation.

1199 cameras will be installed at a cost of 740 million baht. The CAT Telecomm Company will be given a five-year contract to operate the CCTV system. The Cabinet has also approved a plan to provide an increase of 4 percent to the pension fund of civil servants as proposed by the Office of the Civil Service Commission.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 18 July 2007

[chownah]

The BMA will clear the area in Ratchaprasong, Ploenchit, Rama I, and Ratchadamri for the association to install surveillance cameras to cover over one million square kilometres.

One million square kilometres....do you think this is good enough coverage?

[soundman]

The BMA will clear the area in Ratchaprasong, Ploenchit, Rama I, and Ratchadamri for the association to install surveillance cameras to cover over one million square kilometres.

One million square kilometres....do you think this is good enough coverage?

Given that Thailand's area is approximately 514,000 km2, is the government planning on installing CCTV on their neighbours land as well?

[geriatrickid]

This is far more serious then you people understand. Have any of you stopped to consider the costs that will be involved when domestic partners & spouses demand a new wardrobe so that they will look good on TV? This is going to blow the budgets of some people..........

[Steely Dan]

If they install cameras along Walking Street Pattaya I'm prepared to act as a volanteer monitoring for suspicious activities.

[thohts]

This is great news for the police.

Now the law can NOT be enforced remotely instead of on-site!

Saves a lot of time.

[lazeeboy]

This is great news for the police.

Now the law can NOT be enforced remotely instead of on-site!

Saves a lot of time.

they moaned about camera's in the uk ,but when they stop bombers and crime everyone likes them,will be the same here ,i think its a good idea in this day and age.........

[John K]

Nice double edge sword here. Was it not just such a device that initiated the end of the TRT.

[steveromagnino]

Nice double edge sword here. Was it not just such a device that initiated the end of the TRT.

this is an area of town that suffered from bomb threats destroying the new year countdown last year; the Assocation have been very wise to push forward on improving security for visitors to the area.

I don't think this has anything to do with CCTV in other areas; RSTA is a not for profit assocation of retailers, hotels and offices working in this case with the BMA. Other areas I think are something to do with the govt/police/army (i.e. completely different). Timing is just coincidental I suspect.

Anyone wishing to comment on the taxi mafia in the area would be well served to send a message to the Ratchaprasong website; I think it is; I know that the taxis I encounter in that area are a total PITA.

[Paulbangkok]

This is great news for the police.

Now the law can NOT be enforced remotely instead of on-site!

Saves a lot of time.

That is just too funny!

[Kimera]

“I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own.”

The Prisoner.

welcome to UK, the most monitored country in the world.

at least we will be safe in the village.

You can be monitored 300 times in one day in London. you think good no good? if you have something to hide NO good

[bkkandrew]

“I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own.”

The Prisoner.

welcome to UK, the most monitored country in the world.

at least we will be safe in the village.

You can be monitored 300 times in one day in London. you think good no good? if you have something to hide NO good

What have you got to hide?

[thohts]

This is great news for the police.

Now the law can NOT be enforced remotely instead of on-site!

Saves a lot of time.

they moaned about camera's in the uk ,but when they stop bombers and crime everyone likes them,will be the same here ,i think its a good idea in this day and age.........

It is *assumed* that CCTV 'stops crime'. Here is one of many articles about research pointing to just the opposite.

Good policing helps to prevent crime, not cameras.

Does Thailand have good policing?

[AlexLah]

Quote: The BMA will work with the military, police force, and volunteers to provide security all the time for the safety of the downtown shopping area.

I am one of those volunteers.

Yep I record 24 hours a day what is happening here on the Chao Praya river.

Already have installed 2 terrabyte of HD so I can keep the footage for a few days.

For example right now there is a small boat floating around, highly suspicious if you ask me so I have contacted the police and they said they will check it.

[chownah]

What have you got to hide?

Bkkandrew,

I'm not wanting to pick on you specifically but your post pretty much typifies the arguement put forth by many people who in my opinion are really naive about life.

People who talk like this (If you are a law abiding citizen then why would you care if you are being monitored?....stuff like that) seem to think that all governments in existence today and all throughout the future will be kind grandparent like entities who are just wanting to make life better for its citizens by protecting them and channeling them into wholesome behaviors. Fact is that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely and surveilance systems are one more step to give governments absolute power over their citizens.....remember folks it should be the other way around..i.e. the citizens should have absolute power over the gov't...but when was the last time that a gov't took great pains to place surveilance systems to cover all the activities of gov't officials and politicians and took great pains so that citizens had total and unhindered access to all things going on in that gov't?

Consider that a truly good gov't (something that many people could exist although few people have ever seen one) could install a really good surveillance system and do only really good things with it and.....then......a really really bad gov't takes over (be either legitimate or illegitamte means...makes no difference how) and starts using the same system to monitor everyone opposed to its continued rule...the surveillance would be a very very very powerful tool for a really really really bad gov't to maintain itself.

This is not paranoia...look at all of the really really reallly bad gov't's that exist now or have existed in the past.......doesn't look like bad gov't's are going to disappear in the near future...does it.

Chownah

[bkkandrew]

What have you got to hide?

Bkkandrew,

I'm not wanting to pick on you specifically but your post pretty much typifies the arguement put forth by many people who in my opinion are really naive about life.

People who talk like this (If you are a law abiding citizen then why would you care if you are being monitored?....stuff like that) seem to think that all governments in existence today and all throughout the future will be kind grandparent like entities who are just wanting to make life better for its citizens by protecting them and channeling them into wholesome behaviors. Fact is that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely and surveilance systems are one more step to give governments absolute power over their citizens.....remember folks it should be the other way around..i.e. the citizens should have absolute power over the gov't...but when was the last time that a gov't took great pains to place surveilance systems to cover all the activities of gov't officials and politicians and took great pains so that citizens had total and unhindered access to all things going on in that gov't?

Consider that a truly good gov't (something that many people could exist although few people have ever seen one) could install a really good surveillance system and do only really good things with it and.....then......a really really bad gov't takes over (be either legitimate or illegitamte means...makes no difference how) and starts using the same system to monitor everyone opposed to its continued rule...the surveillance would be a very very very powerful tool for a really really really bad gov't to maintain itself.

This is not paranoia...look at all of the really really reallly bad gov't's that exist now or have existed in the past.......doesn't look like bad gov't's are going to disappear in the near future...does it.

Chownah

You know, I was only joking. I am with you, am a member of Liberty in UK and fully am of the opinion that we live in a surveilance society... Sorry my irony was lost...

[bruceboy]

CCTV cameras haven't cut crime in the UK. It wont work here. Old fashioned policing is what is needed.

[Payboy]

The BMA will clear the area in Ratchaprasong, Ploenchit, Rama I, and Ratchadamri for the association to install surveillance cameras to cover over one million square kilometres.

One million square kilometres....do you think this is good enough coverage?

Given that Thailand's area is approximately 514,000 km2, is the government planning on installing CCTV on their neighbours land as well?

never underestimate the vastness of the 3rd dimension - this is the hub of deep pockets

[steveromagnino]

....People who talk like this (If you are a law abiding citizen then why would you care if you are being monitored?....stuff like that) seem to think that all governments in existence today and all throughout the future will be kind grandparent like entities who are just wanting to make life better for its citizens by protecting them and channeling them into wholesome behaviors. Fact is that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely and surveilance systems are one more step to give governments absolute power over their citizens.....remember folks it should be the other way around..i.e. the citizens should have absolute power over the gov't...but when was the last time that a gov't took great pains to place surveilance systems to cover all the activities of gov't officials and politicians and took great pains so that citizens had total and unhindered access to all things going on in that gov't?

Consider that a truly good gov't (something that many people could exist although few people have ever seen one) could install a really good surveillance system and do only really good things with it and.....then......a really really bad gov't takes over (be either legitimate or illegitamte means...makes no difference how) and starts using the same system to monitor everyone opposed to its continued rule...the surveillance would be a very very very powerful tool for a really really really bad gov't to maintain itself.

AFAIK the system in question is a joint private sector/public sector iniatiative, meaning that large chunks of the data are belonging to individual shopping centres/hotels/etc; the public areas donated to the BMA by the private sector (e.g. skywalk) plus road sides and Crown Property event area are also under suirveilance by both groups.

Indeed the CCTV could theoretically be used to control freedom. Given that a CCTV system is expected to be required in ensuring that the area does not suffer any casualities from any more bombs, I am willing to accept the miniscule potential of some sort of coordinated police state (I'll believe that when I see it) compared to the extremely real possibility encountered last year of dying as a result of standing within metres of a bomb that killed someone.

To each their own :-)

[AlexLah]

Newsflash!!!!!

There is a big ship ankered in front of my condo, several small fast vessels visiting this boat and dropping of supplies.

I keep an eye on it and will report later.