Big Brother gets green light
BangkokPost.com, Thai News Agency
The cabinet on Tuesday approved a project to install a surveillance and sensor system across the country, and Bangkok officials announced a new CCTV network in a downtown area.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in cooperation with the private sector announced a programme to install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in a prime shopping area for the safety of Bangkok residents and tourists.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister's Office assistant spokesman Chotechai Suwannaporn said the same time of CCTV cameras and other surveillance gear used at London's Heathrow airport will be installed to increase Thai efficiency in preventing smuggling, checking suspicious parcels and collecting information.
A facial scan system and infrared cameras to scan vehicular licence plate numbers will be included in the surveillance network proposed by the Ministry of Finance.
CCTV cameras will be installed at 1,199 spots at permanent border checkpoints, customs checkpoints, ports, and international airports.
The government has a five-year contract with state-run CAT Telecom and a budget of Bt740 million to run the project.
Meanwhile, 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, close to where bombers killed four people and wounded in 30 in New Year's Eve terrorist attacks.
Under the 20-million-baht phase one of the project, a budget of more than 20 million baht will be spent on CCTV cameras will be installed in public areas, including along sidewalks, and on pedestrian bridges connecting buildings 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.
Bangkok Post July 17, 2007