Thirty of Pattaya’s 35 closed-circuit television cameras are broken, leaving the city’s police force dependent on Family Marts, gold shops and condo buildings to capture images of crime scenes and traffic accidents.
Pattaya Police Superintendent Col. Supachai Puikaewkam revealed the sorry state of the city’s much-ballyhooed security system to Bangkok Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Maj. Gen. Adul Narongsak during his March 18 inspection of the city.
30 of Pattaya’s 35 closed-circuit television cameras are broken, leaving just five in working order.
Supachai said real-time traffic-monitoring cameras are installed on Third, Pratamnak, Chaiyapruek, Thepprasit, South, and North roads; on Soi Siam Country Club, at the Dolphin Roundabout and in front of the Soi 9 police station. However, only five remain in working order.
The police, thus, have to rely on privately-owned cameras when investigating crimes. Banks and ATMs have the most cameras with 962. Gold shops have 76 cameras while another 296 are located outside hotels and condominiums. 7-Eleven stores have 165 cameras and there are 131 outside Family Mart locations.
Following the briefing, Adul inspected the Pattaya station and police boxes around the city. He said he approved of the service provided to tourists and the police’s readiness.
