Crime AI Surveillance Cameras Help Thai Tourist Police Arrest Nearly 300 Fugitives

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

The Tourist Police Bureau has successfully apprehended nearly 300 individuals with outstanding arrest warrants in the last year, thanks to the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI)-equipped surveillance cameras at key tourist destinations across the country.

 

According to Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuekaam, Commissioner of the Tourist Police, the system was launched in July 2024 in cooperation with the Central Investigation Bureau. The advanced camera technology cross-references live footage with a central criminal database, allowing for real-time alerts when wanted individuals or high-risk persons enter monitored areas.

 

The initiative is part of an ongoing campaign to improve safety and enhance tourist confidence, particularly in high-traffic destinations such as Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Suvarnabhumi Airport.

 

One recent example of the system’s effectiveness came at 10:00 on 26 July in Nong Khai Province. Officers from Tourist Police Division 5, working alongside immigration officials, received an AI camera alert flagging a 32-year-old man named Chanachai, wanted under Nakhon Sawan Provincial Court warrant No. 102/2567 dated 8 March 2024. He was charged with jointly committing theft using a vehicle to facilitate the offence or escape capture or for receiving stolen property.

 

Upon identification he was detained by officers, the suspect attempted to flee, jumping over a barbed-wire fence and scaling a wall into a nearby residential property. He sustained a head injury in the process before being apprehended. He was later taken to Nong Khai Provincial Hospital for treatment before being transferred to Mae Wong Police Station in Nakhon Sawan for further legal proceedings.

 

Since its launch, the AI system has led to the arrest of 291 suspects across multiple provinces, including:

 

• Pattaya, Chonburi – 110 arrests

• Nakhon Ratchasima – 89 arrests

• Chiang Mai – 71 arrests

• Suvarnabhumi Airport, Samut Prakan – 4 arrests

• Khon Kaen – 9 arrests

• Udon Thani – 3 arrests

• Nong Khai – 2 arrests

• Tak – 2 arrests

• Nakhon Phanom – 1 arrest

 

Tourist Police officials say the technology has significantly enhanced security in popular destinations, reassuring both domestic and international visitors. Authorities are considering expanding the AI camera system to additional locations in the coming months.

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-07-28

 

 

 

 

[thesetat]

So for all the offenders hiding in Thailand can not be made aware. So if you are wanted or a criminal. Don't look at the cameras haha... Or don't go to a tourist city... Thanks for sending a warning to all in Thailand that there is need to avoid these. 

Sometimes bragging about an achievement is not a good thing... 

[novacova]

Have seen a few farangs, Burmese and Chinese nationals in in the outskirts of muaeng cm wearing face coverings such as bandannas for no apparent reason other than to conceal their identity’s, all of which look poor and ratty and none in the city.

[unblocktheplanet]

Pattaya is always No. 1, first in the Kingdom.

[MarkBR]

14 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

The Tourist Police Bureau has successfully apprehended nearly 300 individuals with outstanding arrest warrants in the last year, thanks to the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI)-equipped surveillance cameras at key tourist destinations across the country.

 

According to Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuekaam, Commissioner of the Tourist Police, the system was launched in July 2024 in cooperation with the Central Investigation Bureau. The advanced camera technology cross-references live footage with a central criminal database, allowing for real-time alerts when wanted individuals or high-risk persons enter monitored areas.

 

The initiative is part of an ongoing campaign to improve safety and enhance tourist confidence, particularly in high-traffic destinations such as Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Suvarnabhumi Airport.

 

One recent example of the system’s effectiveness came at 10:00 on 26 July in Nong Khai Province. Officers from Tourist Police Division 5, working alongside immigration officials, received an AI camera alert flagging a 32-year-old man named Chanachai, wanted under Nakhon Sawan Provincial Court warrant No. 102/2567 dated 8 March 2024. He was charged with jointly committing theft using a vehicle to facilitate the offence or escape capture or for receiving stolen property.

 

Upon identification he was detained by officers, the suspect attempted to flee, jumping over a barbed-wire fence and scaling a wall into a nearby residential property. He sustained a head injury in the process before being apprehended. He was later taken to Nong Khai Provincial Hospital for treatment before being transferred to Mae Wong Police Station in Nakhon Sawan for further legal proceedings.

 

Since its launch, the AI system has led to the arrest of 291 suspects across multiple provinces, including:

 

• Pattaya, Chonburi – 110 arrests

• Nakhon Ratchasima – 89 arrests

• Chiang Mai – 71 arrests

• Suvarnabhumi Airport, Samut Prakan – 4 arrests

• Khon Kaen – 9 arrests

• Udon Thani – 3 arrests

• Nong Khai – 2 arrests

• Tak – 2 arrests

• Nakhon Phanom – 1 arrest

 

Tourist Police officials say the technology has significantly enhanced security in popular destinations, reassuring both domestic and international visitors. Authorities are considering expanding the AI camera system to additional locations in the coming months.

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-07-28

 

 

 

 

Lot of criminals in Pattaya.

[soi3eddie]

 

Shape of the future. Policing by facial recognition. Expect the immigration database of overstayers' mugshots to be loaded into their "AI" system. Nowhere to hide, not just tourist areas such as Pattaya or Ciang Mai. Curiously, no mention of Bangkok in the OP.

 

[xtrnuno41]

Never the less Thaksin is running free.

[StayinThailand2much]

14 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

(...) Officers from Tourist Police Division 5, working alongside immigration officials, received an AI camera alert flagging a 32-year-old man named Chanachai, wanted under Nakhon Sawan Provincial Court warrant No. 102/2567 dated 8 March 2024. 

 

Yes, those tourists... 😆 

[MarkBR]

46 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

 

Shape of the future. Policing by facial recognition. Expect the immigration database of overstayers' mugshots to be loaded into their "AI" system. Nowhere to hide, not just tourist areas such as Pattaya or Ciang Mai. Curiously, no mention of Bangkok in the OP.

 

They will soon be wearing Elton John giant spectacles with dazzle patterns that confuse AI recognition systems.  Pattaya may have some strange looking folk wandering around the streets then.

[ronnie50]

Interesting, I wonder where they place the cameras in these 'tourist hot spots'. Soi Cowboy/Nana? Pattaya walking street? Toll booths? Bus stations? I guess they won't say..

[pixelaoffy]

All to catch petty criminals ..easy targets.The REAL criminals are already known.Dont need AI to get them. They have BE (guess what that means ). Untouched and free 

[hotchilli]

On 7/28/2025 at 3:29 AM, Georgealbert said:

The advanced camera technology cross-references live footage with a central criminal database, allowing for real-time alerts when wanted individuals or high-risk persons enter monitored areas.

How does the system recognise a high risk person ?

[MarkBR]

5 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

How does the system recognise a high risk person ?

Assuem it would link into a database of individuals who have arrest records & photogrpahs which have been digitised.  All farang & many thais already will probably have their images/mugshots already in police databases due to travelling through immigration.  So if you are on some list somewhere, a decent AI photorecognition system should catch anyone on the list.

Key problem will be errors due to hallucinations (the computer term they use) which results in misidentification.  This problems results from inadequacies & bias in the database used.

[black tabby12345]

Security cameras, great untouchable cops.

Won't take brown envelopes, no keeping blind eyes on ongoing crimes.

Real-life Robot Cops.

[Hakuna Matata]

On 7/28/2025 at 3:29 AM, Georgealbert said:

The Tourist Police Bureau has successfully apprehended nearly 300 individuals with outstanding arrest warrants in the last year

 

This is just a drop in the ocean. Thailand has long become a safe heaven for criminals and fugitives from all over the world.

 

Most of them are concentrated in places like Pattaya, Phuket, Samui, Pha-ngan and Bangkok of course.

[MarkBR]

8 minutes ago, Hakuna Matata said:

 

This is just a drop in the ocean. Thailand has long become a safe heaven for criminals and fugitives from all over the world.

 

Most of them are concentrated in places like Pattaya, Phuket, Samui, Pha-ngan and Bangkok of course.

The AI system will identify them, if they are in a monitored zone.  Expect lots of criminal types (as defined by Thai authorities or by Interpol) to become very concerned about not going anywhere these camera-monitored zones, whether local or farang.

[phetphet]

Fit AI cameras on the BTS and they will be able to scan millions of faces quickly.

 

By the way. isn't it illegal here to carry passengers in the back of pick up trucks? Transporting a handcuffed prisoner, with no way of  protecting himself  if thrown about, must be a new one from the Health & Safety Executive...if there is one.

[novacova]

Just now, phetphet said:

Fit AI cameras on the BTS and they will be able to scan millions of faces quickly.

Just replace all surveillance cameras with facial recognition cameras on all public places and that outta do the trick.

[DPKANKAN]

• Pattaya, Chonburi – 110 arrests

• Nakhon Ratchasima – 89 arrests

• Chiang Mai – 71 arrests

• Suvarnabhumi Airport, Samut Prakan – 4 arrests

• Khon Kaen – 9 arrests

• Udon Thani – 3 arrests

• Nong Khai – 2 arrests

• Tak – 2 arrests

• Nakhon Phanom – 1 arrest

 

So none in Phuket!!!! Jing lor????😏😏😏😏🤣😂🤣😂

[Watawattana]

22 hours ago, novacova said:

Have seen a few farangs, Burmese and Chinese nationals in in the outskirts of muaeng cm wearing face coverings such as bandannas for no apparent reason other than to conceal their identity’s, all of which look poor and ratty and none in the city.

Yes!  Hong Kong had a similar issue.  They banned everyone from wearing face coverings, just before COVID, when there were few riots.  Then came COVID.  Then they made masks mandatory.  Then there was the funny situation where it was illegal to wear a mask, and illegal not to. 

[novacova]

Face print mask, 10000฿ fine for wearing fake face paint mask. Problem solved. Orwellian utopia.

[connda]

Orwell Good!

[bkk_mike]

17 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

 

Shape of the future. Policing by facial recognition. Expect the immigration database of overstayers' mugshots to be loaded into their "AI" system. Nowhere to hide, not just tourist areas such as Pattaya or Ciang Mai. Curiously, no mention of Bangkok in the OP.

 

Great unless you're an identical twin... (And your twin is wanted for something).

Or you have a doppelganger like Will Ferrell and the drummer from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

[jvs]

Also sometimes it is know in which vehicle a person drives,scan the plates and you know where to look

 for the person.

Already happens in lots of places.

[gaucan]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

How does the system recognise a high risk person ?

u seem worried

[Lucky Bones]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

How does the system recognise a high risk person ?

Sometimes the machete & the bottle of lao khao give it away. The saffron robes are also a fair hint. People climbing on roofs & throwing things usually sounds some alarms too.🙃🙃

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, gaucan said:

u seem worried

Not at all... I'm not an idiot farang

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, Lucky Bones said:

Sometimes the machete & the bottle of lao khao give it away. The saffron robes are also a fair hint. People climbing on roofs & throwing things usually sounds some alarms too.🙃🙃

That's OK in a system that has 100% bio-metrics done and saved into a national data-base?

Don't think the Saffron robe brigade have that done yet, or many others

[PoorSucker]

18 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

Interesting, I wonder where they place the cameras in these 'tourist hot spots'. Soi Cowboy/Nana? Pattaya walking street? Toll booths? Bus stations? I guess they won't say..

In the cars

[Lucky Bones]

26 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

In the cars

Ladyboys are  now paid to have cameras nestled in their plastic cleavage. Guaranteed to not fall out and provide high vision.🙃🙃