Suporn Chuenpimolchankij, the Assistant Senior Director of TOT Phuket Customer Services Sector said that despite there being many CCTV cameras on the island, obtaining footage from the cameras to support criminal investigations was difficult.
He said, “The Phuket Safe City project brings together the three essential concepts of security, technology and management.”
Bacom MD Tanakrit Rodjanasiraprapha said his company’s Axxon security software makes use of video analytics technology, high-quality cameras and a comprehensive, “fully connected” system linking the cameras.
The “Axxon Intellect” software system has been designed and modified to be compatible with existing CCTV cameras and other security systems in Phuket. The proposal sees all of them being linked through TOT’s island-wide optical fibre network.
Axxon is already employed in many European countries, Mr Tanakrit said, including Russia, where its introduction, he claimed, “has seen a 35-per-cent decrease in crime”.
The system can be programmed to use facial recognition technology, to look for certain vehicle number plates or colours and even to look for, say, a certain colour of car going in a certain direction.
Axxon can also raise the alarm whenever an “abnormality” occurs.
Mr Tanakrit said, “The system can organise all the different cameras on the island, no matter their make or the technology they use. They should all be linked together. We can do that.”
He added that safeguards can be put in place to preserve privacy. Bacom’s software has a high level of security built into it, he said., which can ensure this.
V/Gov Chamroen declared himself “delighted” with the proposal and said he would support it if it would ensure the security of Phuket.
“Security is a priority for Phuket. The investigation of criminal acts can be a very slow process using the current system. This system looks useful and much faster.”
The V/Gov added that he would like to see TOT conduct further research to inspect the relevant systems and software on the island, and hold discussions with individual businesses in order to find out how such a system could be funded.
He also said described TOT as the “main player” in leading progress towards the Phuket Safe City goal.