Constructive Thoughts for the Day

Constructive Thoughts for the Day
Permalink : http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/kriengsak

Wednesday , April 30 , 2008

Integrating the use of CCTV to solve Bangkok’s problems

Posted by Kriengsak , Reader : 2719 , 13:30:50 | Category : Politics

* picture form - http://www.cctv.in.th/images/introl_cctv.gif *Prof Dr Kriengsak Chareonwongsak* Senior Fellow, Harvard Univerisity’s Center for Business and Government One of Bangkok Governor, Mr Apirak Kosayodhin’s policies, arising from security issues in the past three years is the installation of Closed-Circuit Television or CCTV in some areas of Bangkok. However, the use of CCTV technology as part of Bangkok’s security plan raises questions as to the infallibility of this technology. It is a well known fact that CCTV technology may be integrated for use beyond the mere protection of life and property. The main objective of a CCTV system is its use as a support tool ensuring the security of life and property. It also supports the work of municipal officers, and the police department, a department directly responsible for the maintenance of peace in Bangkok communities. A CCTV system reduces tasks and the number of officers needed to penetrate each specific area. In London, for example, using CCTV could reduce the number of security officers and simultaneously increase the effectiveness of criminal arrests. In Bangkok, more than three hundred cameras have been installed in the inner city area, with another 1,023 cameras installed in thirty seven districts, including traffic light junctions, flyovers, BTS parking lots, Sanam Luang, dangerous alleys, the Chao Phraya Pier, Sansab Canal, bus terminals, and other locations. However, installing a large quantity of CCTV sets may not be of direct benefit to Bangkok residents if the use of CCTV is still limited to only state departments and those guarding life and property. CCTV technology hasn’t yet been fully integrated to solve other problems, such as traffic jams, the lack of emergency rescue services, and so on. In London, there is cooperation between business owners and state departments to link CCTV systems together, which increases the potential of CCTV to protect and take care of people. What happened at London’s Marks & Spenser’s store on one occasion provides a good example of such cooperation. When a robbery took place in the store, the criminal fled the scene. However, after contacting the CCTV control centre, the store could launch a search for this person and finally apprehend him. If Bangkok business enterprises and state departments could be linked together on an entire CCTV system, keeping all information together under a confidentiality agreement, greater security would result for human life and property. In addition, a CCTV system may be integrated into the traffic and transportation system. In Britain, CCTV will be installed on underground train stations, not only to guard these train stations, but also to examine the number of people using the underground trains, in order to establish better service provision. Moreover, CCTV is linked to city traffic management, whereby traffic police can use database information to control road traffic, examine the occurrence of road accidents, and manage the system to avoid traffic jam areas, for just a few examples. It will increase the effectiveness of traffic management, and provide assistance for road accident victims. In addition, the CCTV system will be used to catch drivers exceeding the speed limit, and will enable number plate detection for cars that infringe the law. In conclusion, a CCTV system will have the potential to reduce numerous city problems if the plan is integrated with other systems appropriately. It will be good for Bangkok to install CCTV cameras in many areas. Though requiring camera set up in a number of necessary places, what will be more important is to integrate this system with other systems in order to ensure the highest benefit. This will also imply the high professional management of Bangkok’s City Governor.

* picture form - http://www.cctv.in.th/images/introl_cctv.gif

Prof Dr Kriengsak Chareonwongsak

Senior Fellow, Harvard Univerisity’s Center for Business and Government

One of Bangkok Governor, Mr Apirak Kosayodhin’s policies, arising from security issues in the past three years is the installation of Closed-Circuit Television or CCTV in some areas of Bangkok. However, the use of CCTV technology as part of Bangkok’s security plan raises questions as to the infallibility of this technology. It is a well known fact that CCTV technology may be integrated for use beyond the mere protection of life and property.

The main objective of a CCTV system is its use as a support tool ensuring the security of life and property. It also supports the work of municipal officers, and the police department, a department directly responsible for the maintenance of peace in Bangkok communities. A CCTV system reduces tasks and the number of officers needed to penetrate each specific area. In London, for example, using CCTV could reduce the number of security officers and simultaneously increase the effectiveness of criminal arrests.

In Bangkok, more than three hundred cameras have been installed in the inner city area, with another 1,023 cameras installed in thirty seven districts, including traffic light junctions, flyovers, BTS parking lots, Sanam Luang, dangerous alleys, the Chao Phraya Pier, Sansab Canal, bus terminals, and other locations.

However, installing a large quantity of CCTV sets may not be of direct benefit to Bangkok residents if the use of CCTV is still limited to only state departments and those guarding life and property. CCTV technology hasn’t yet been fully integrated to solve other problems, such as traffic jams, the lack of emergency rescue services, and so on.

In London, there is cooperation between business owners and state departments to link CCTV systems together, which increases the potential of CCTV to protect and take care of people. What happened at London’s Marks & Spenser’s store on one occasion provides a good example of such cooperation. When a robbery took place in the store, the criminal fled the scene. However, after contacting the CCTV control centre, the store could launch a search for this person and finally apprehend him. If Bangkok business enterprises and state departments could be linked together on an entire CCTV system, keeping all information together under a confidentiality agreement, greater security would result for human life and property.

In addition, a CCTV system may be integrated into the traffic and transportation system. In Britain, CCTV will be installed on underground train stations, not only to guard these train stations, but also to examine the number of people using the underground trains, in order to establish better service provision. Moreover, CCTV is linked to city traffic management, whereby traffic police can use database information to control road traffic, examine the occurrence of road accidents, and manage the system to avoid traffic jam areas, for just a few examples. It will increase the effectiveness of traffic management, and provide assistance for road accident victims. In addition, the CCTV system will be used to catch drivers exceeding the speed limit, and will enable number plate detection for cars that infringe the law.

In conclusion, a CCTV system will have the potential to reduce numerous city problems if the plan is integrated with other systems appropriately. It will be good for Bangkok to install CCTV cameras in many areas. Though requiring camera set up in a number of necessary places, what will be more important is to integrate this system with other systems in order to ensure the highest benefit. This will also imply the high professional management of Bangkok’s City Governor.

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comment 9
samakida date : 19/08/2008 time : 16.14
http://www.anzenthai.com

good idea

comment 8
samakida date : 19/08/2008 time : 16.12
http://www.anzenthai.com

good idea !!

comment 7
Kriengsak date : 14/05/2008 time : 09.36
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/kriengsak

Thank you for all comments. We must have a research for implementation.

comment 6
wch date : 03/05/2008 time : 08.47

Who will 'turn on, turn off" ?.

comment 5
Piset date : 30/04/2008 time : 19.28
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Hi Dr. Kriengsak:

I heard that the toilets in the Parliament are usually used for the meeting place and paying out place for the voting briberies. Therefore, we should cover all toilets in the Parlaiment with closed circuit TV which would record everything on the compute disk for identification.

Also, if CCTV can be used at all massage palors, night clubs, karaokes. Then we can not only identify more corrupted officials and corrupted policemen, but also put an end to illegal prostitutuins.

comment 4
Poomjai date : 30/04/2008 time : 19.26
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/poomjai

Dr Kriengsak,

Apologies. My fourth point should read 'are digital or IP' and not 'are not digital or IP'.

comment 3
Poomjai date : 30/04/2008 time : 19.24
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/poomjai

Dr Kriengsak,

A very useful article as always.

A few points:

- the most fallible aspect of modern CCTV is the human operator tasked with monitoring and trying to detect suspicious activity. Too little resource is put into training, good recruitment and the writing and cascading of quality staff SOPs and protocols.

- 300 inner City Cameras is a miniscule number and may offer little more than a cursory preventive effect for those people who notice them. You will find large hotels will have that number of cameras alone. There is a danger of tokenism.

- too many organisations let CCTV companies tell them what they need without planning in advance to ensure that they have coverage which is sensible to the threat and to keep within budget. Sometimes expensive isn't always good.

- another major investment, beyond the cameras themselves, is good data back up. Modern systems are not digital or IP and require large amounts of memory. Insufficient memory will mean that records can be kept only for a short time and/or frame rates of retrieved images are too slow to secure an usable (and admissable) detection.

- similarly, if you buy an expensive CCTV system, make sure you have the budget to maintain/refresh it.

- there is no one off solution. The successful use of CCTV in the UK is more down to the number of cameras (more per capita than anywhere in the world) and the effectiveness of Police investigation, than the existance of a centralised system. It does not exist. Co-operation and co-ordination is essential.

- CCTV is just a tool not the answer. CCTV is excellent for preventive security and also post event investigation. But ultimately, crimes are best prevented through a culture of public awareness and reporting of suspicious activity and good policing using a range of available tools/techniques, including CCTV.

comment 2
Tawan date : 30/04/2008 time : 15.56
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/tawan3

I happy with the CCTV project in Udon Thani.
But instead of using London as an example try calling 1-800-Tokyo for decades it has been the most videoed and bugged city in the world. A trip to Akihabra and you will see what I mean.

comment 1
Ian date : 30/04/2008 time : 13.56
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/anterian36

One problem that England faces with CCTV is missuse. The images can be used to obtain information which infringes one's rights to privacy. They are increasingly used not by the police but private firms which do not exercise the same level of control. A quick browse of websites like YouTube shows how many of these CCTV footages, even police ones, are entering the public domain.
This is a growing public concern in England, with the even more lax controls in Thailand it could become a major problem.

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