Security to be beefed up at Ratchaprasong Square

[webfact]

Security to be beefed up at Ratchaprasong Square
KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THE RATCHAPRASONG Square Trade Association (RSTA) yesterday announced a stepping up of security measures in Bangkok's major shopping district with the full integration of security systems enhanced by all its property-company members, which operate 13 major buildings in the area.

Chai Srivikorn, president of the association, said that, in collaboration with other private and public agencies, including the Royal Thai Police, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Panasonic Siew Sales Thailand and the Than Tao Mahaprom Foundation Erawan Bangkok, the reassuring comprehensive security measures within Ratchaprasong would allow the shopping district to become a role model for the whole of the capital in terms of security.

"Ratchaprasong is a key landmark for global tourism in which various lifestyle activities are widely arranged, especially the Bangkok Countdown at Ratchaprasong, which is regarded as a top-of-the-mind event on tourists' lists. As a result, this year we have expanded and beefed up security, with the help of our members, who operate 13 major buildings in the area," said Chai.

Chai said the Ratchaprasong district normally attracted between 300,000 and 400,000 visitors per day, both locals and foreign tourists.

For the final three months of the year, which is the main annual festive season, the number of visitors in the area increases by 25 per cent.

"The aim of the RSTA is to make security at Ratchaprasong [in line with] the world-class system, similar to those enhanced systems used in big cities around the world, such as in England," he explained.

There are currently 2,155 CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras within the Ratchaprasong district, of which more than 70 are located outside the buildings, especially on the skywalk and streets.

A total of 500 private security guards have been working both inside the buildings and in public areas, including the skywalk. They operate on a three-shift basis. "In the event of any crime or terrorist incident happening, we want to reduce the lead time to identify suspects from about 45 minutes experienced after the explosion at the Erawan Shrine in mid-August, to only 15 minutes," he said.

Isareit Chirathivat, vice president of Central Pattana, which operates CentralWorld, said the shopping complex attracted about 150,000 visitors a day.

Pol Lt-General Anan Srihirun, assistant commissioner-general of the Royal Thai Police, said the police were making security of the public a top priority, through integrated operations involving the local police (Lumpini station), metropolitan personnel, patrol and special operations division, the Explosives Ordnance Disposal unit, Tourism Police, Crime Suppression Division and Special Branch Police.

"For providing security in the Ratchaprasong area in particular, we have focused on collaboration between the private sector and the police, utilising biometric technology in identifying suspects or video analytic inspection to check out suspicious or unattended objects," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Security-to-be-beefed-up-at-Ratchaprasong-Square-30271824.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-29

[BuckBee]

It don't matter how many cameras or guards you got, it matters how well they work, and we know the answer to that unfortunately ...

[Thian]

If i was the soldier i would have stripsearched those girls, maybe they wear a bombbelt under their skirts?

More seriously, why don't they use sniffdogs? Oh well, this is thailand, solly i forgot.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Thian

[FloridaExport]

If i was the soldier i would have stripsearched those girls, maybe they wear a bombbelt under their skirts?

More seriously, why don't they use sniffdogs? Oh well, this is thailand, solly i forgot.

My first thought when seeing that picture was that the dog was just there for show. No real handler would allow his drug/bomb dog to be treated like a cute puppy by people passing by. That's utterly ridiculous but unfortunately par for the course in Thailand.

[ratcatcher]

If i was the soldier i would have stripsearched those girls, maybe they wear a bombbelt under their skirts?

More seriously, why don't they use sniffdogs? Oh well, this is thailand, solly i forgot.

"....why don't they use sniffdogs?"

What do you suppose the dog in the photo is sniffing? Must be something on the girl's fingers he likes.

Sniffing, it's what dogs do.

[Thian]

If i was the soldier i would have stripsearched those girls, maybe they wear a bombbelt under their skirts?

More seriously, why don't they use sniffdogs? Oh well, this is thailand, solly i forgot.

My first thought when seeing that picture was that the dog was just there for show. No real handler would allow his drug/bomb dog to be treated like a cute puppy by people passing by. That's utterly ridiculous but unfortunately par for the course in Thailand.

You are right! I didn't even see the dog!

I thought it was the girls' bag he was investigating. 555.

But what dog is it? Not a german sheppard or a beagle. Looks more like a lapdog.

If a sniffdog sits down then it smelled something. And nope nobody is allowed to touch them, they are not pets but officers on duty.

In Singapore the authority's walk around on Changi with huge machineguns, i feel more safe by that then a thai with a lapdog.

[Prbkk]

The security that is visible is pretty much just for show: one would hope that a lot more goes on behind the scenes to keep people safe....but with the CCTV fiasco it's probably a lost cause

[outsider]

Just wait for the barrage of pictures online, showing girls (most probably mainly Thais) complete with their supposedly cute poses and silly duck-bill pouts and the dogs. Narak aahhh!!! TiT

[dageurreotype]

If Prayuth hadn't suppressed all talk of politics, thus stymieing any hope of a third party emerging, the reds-under-the-bed wouldn't be so 'feared', would-they-duh.

[exbikey]

The security that is visible is pretty much just for show: one would hope that a lot more goes on behind the scenes to keep people safe....but with the CCTV fiasco it's probably a lost cause

Behind the scenes and CCTV...this comes to mind

[Strangebrew]

Oh I feel so much safer now guess I' ll avoid going there bomber's paradise .

[Srikcir]

All the security officers, dogs and CCTV won't mean anything if Prayut sends another group of Uighurs back to China. The best security for Thailand is to keep the current government's foreign policies in check. Think of the consequences before it acts, especially when it comes to committing inhumane decisions.

[bkkrox]

How about removing the 6 smartly dressed people who stand on the skywalk above the Erawan shrine and pounce on every tourist who stops to take photos, promising them special one day deals on gems and silks etc. They have a flotilla of tuk-tuks waiting down below to whisk the gullible tourists away. God knows where they end up. The masses of tourist police and press there yesterday just watched these people at work. Today, no tourist police (because no press).

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Ratchaprasong will be equipped with 80 more high-quality CCTVs

BANGKOK:-- Security at Ratchaprasong shopping district will be stepped up ahead of the festive season with the planned installation of between 75-80 high-quality and high-definition cameras at certain key points of the district, said Mr Chai Srivikorn, president of Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association (RSTA), today.

Of the existing 2,000 cameras installed in and around Ratchaprasong, he said that, in the initial stage, 75-80 high-quality CCTVs with 12 million pixels which can see from all directions would be installed.

On top of that, the RSTA will deploy 500 security guards and coordinate closely with the Royal National Police Office, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and 13 association members to upgrade the security to the same level applied in countries such as the UK.

Mr Chai estimated during the festive season the number of visitors to Ratchaprasong would increase 20-25 percent from a normal figure of about 300,000 a day.

Assistant national police chief Pol Lt-Gen Anan Srihirun, meanwhile, said police would be deployed on normal days and during festive season to ensure peace and order and to look out for suspicious-looking objects.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/ratchaprasong-will-be-equipped-with-80-more-high-quality-cctvs

-- Thai PBS 2015-10-29

[digibum]

It's a somewhat futile act. First off, they're announcing it. Anybody thinking of doing harm would just pick another target. Second, if they don't do something or don't announce the extra security measures, then people say they're lax about security.

The real problem is if someone does decide to do some harm and they do select another location, then the government looks like bad because they're playing a cat and mouse game, one step behind.

Can't win with terrorism.

[lee b]

Have I got this right or wrong? I always thought that security dogs were not allowed to be touched and not approached as it puts them off what they are trained to do. Well thats what happens at the airports anyway.

[chrisrazz]

From a psychological point of view, I think a massive show of security is quite unnerving, as it proves that something is wrong. The intention is to boost tourist trade in the area, yet will only deter tourists, and, does not address the real problem, that, despite what the TAT claims, intelligent, wealthy and informed tourists are not visiting Thailand any more.

[ChrisY1]

Sure the cameras will be ok???........the "sniffer" dogs seem to be happy to make good friends with the public.........definately no foreign scents coming to their noses!!