BKK Governor Defends 'Spy Camera' On Mobile Toilets

BY Khaosod English

BANGKOK: -- Police officers at the Police Club have been alarmed by discovery of small CCTVs on mobile toilets provided by Bangkok authority.

The cameras were reportedly attached to toilet paper cartridges next to the sinks on both male and female mobile toilet cars stationed at the Police Club, which serves as headquarters of the Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO).

The mobile toilets are operated by the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA).

Officers who used the toilet during daytime were the first to notice the camera, which brings surprised and shocked many police officers who fear their privacy might have been infringed.

The discovery also came at a time when relationship between the Pheu Thai government and the Democrat-led Bangkok authority is said to be immensely strained.

Mr. Sanya Mingma, the BMA official in charge of operating the mobile toilet buses, stated that the authority has dispatched 6 such buses to the Police Club as requested by CMPO.

The cameras were installed on the mobile toilets for security reasons after the Redshirts protests in 2010, in which some BMA properties had been looted and torched, Mr. Sanya claimed.

He asserted that only 4 out of new-generation mobile toilets have been equipped with such cameras so far.

Mr. Sanya also explained that the cameras are only aimed to capture images of potential wrongdoers, as they point to a stairways leading into and out of the bus. He denied the possibility that the camera was zooming into the toilets or the urinals section.

Meanwhile, Mr. Banjong Sookdee, Deputy Permanent Secretary of BMA, refused to comment about the news, citing the need for further investigation.

However, he explained that the cameras were attached to prevent crimes involving the mobile toilets, such as the torching of one mobile toilet "in July 2013", the assault of a child near Tiger God Shrine in Bangkok′s old quarters, and the use of illegal substances in male toilet.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary stressed that installment of the cameras was only an experiment to prevent the crimes, and to protect the safety of the public.

Mr. Banjong also insisted that BMA did not harbour any ill intention behind the dispatch of two mobile toilets equipped with such cameras to the Police Club.

The Bangkok Governor, Mr. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, likewise declared that he had no insincere motive against the CMPO in any way, and he did not intend to send the buses with CCTVs to CMPO in particular, as the buses were randomly shuffled in different locations every now and then due to flood of requests for the mobile toilets.

Each bus is not meant to go to any specific place, said Mr. Sukhumbhand, who also offered that the BMA is ready to remove the cameras if any parties are made uncomfortable by the devices.

"If the CMPO would like to question us, the BMA is willing to answer any question," Mr. Sukhumbhand told reporters, "But if CMPO has nothing to hide, then there is nothing CMPO should worry about"

He added, "I don′t want to spy on anyone".

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNU1EazVOelkyTXc9PQ==&sectionid=TURVd01BPT0=

-- Khaosod English 2014-01-29

it would be okay if you were an exhibitionist, you could really put on a show

I freaking love this country! - Some of the things going on here, you could not make it up!

Most crimes happen on the streets and not in public toilets. There is something rather squeamish about this, Mr. Governor. BTW, would the kind Governor mind if a hidden camera was placed in his toilet?

that smells - 2 out of 6 toilets randomly send to spy on cops?

Wouldn't be more appropriate to send them to not so peaceful protestors?

I'm not shy... toilet cams work for me. Just get my good side is all I ask.

Thailand's version of the NSA?

A job for Mr Happy toilet me thinks

This is so funny, it makes me want to pee, but not in one of their toilets, lol.

Flash in the pan

No big deal. If it was for safety sake especially for these protesting times, why not? Bombs in the toilets, drug deals, sex....um...nevermind. The cameras were not pointed into the toilet areas. Go ahead and warn all users that these port-a-potties have surveillance. Go crap somewhere else if you want. Funny.

"Mr. Sanya also explained that the cameras are only aimed to capture images of potential wrongdoers"

I guess that's why they were sent to the police club.

The police should give it back to the governor, in person, 'where the sun don't shine'.....

I did not realize how many CCTV's there are in Thailand. I live in Kanchanaburi and just realized there are 3 cameras at every intersection along the river road. Kind of creepy because you never notice them them once you see them you realize how many there are. I take solace in the fact I knowing most of them more than likely do not work and the guy watching the other end most likely is sleeping.

The cameras were reportedly attached to toilet paper cartridges next to the sinks....

Fortunately, the cameras recorded nothing, because nobody washed their hands.

555, of course no toilet paper in there either. And by the looks of the way its wired up, not even possible to put any in there.

Now you can make a video recording of the country going down the toilet.

it has the hall mark of the ladyboy mafia

At least we get a photo of a bloke pointing at a bog roll.

It's hard to read a story about cameras in bathrooms and " strained relationships " without either breaking out into unrestrained laughter - or realizing in retrospect - that it's just another journalistic gem from Khaosod, who are determined - it seems - to poke their noses everywhere for a story that will take them as far away from the real news as possible.

After reading many reports that the police have no balls. They thought it would get photographic evidence to ptove you all wrong

After reading many reports that the police have no balls. They thought it would get photographic evidence to ptove you all wrong

...and when they failed, sent a complaint to the BMA

Surprised Google hasn't thought of this privacy invasion yet.

Now you can make a video recording of the country going down the toilet.

post of the day

Surprised Google hasn't thought of this privacy invasion yet.

A new app for Android has been announced after this discovery: Google Flush...

Should public toilets be fixed with hidden camera as well? To prevent vandalism perhaps?

Send from my Mobile

You mean they don't take selfies in the toilet?

I think the BMA was looking to make some money--they would take your picture (instead of people taking selfies in the toilet) and then you could order them online (as they offer at amusement parks) to send to your facebook account.

Put this together with the story that was reported 7 minutes before this one of the Man Caught Steeling Male Athlete's Underware. ha ha ha

Just another bunch of Herbert the Perverts.

I wonder what 30% is of the cost of this project. Are we running out of ideas?

No big deal. If it was for safety sake especially for these protesting times, why not? Bombs in the toilets, drug deals, sex....um...nevermind. The cameras were not pointed into the toilet areas. Go ahead and warn all users that these port-a-potties have surveillance. Go crap somewhere else if you want. Funny.

I agree.But,why are the cameras hidden?