Government offices told to fix their CCTV

BANGKOK, Jan 12 (TNA) -- Deputy Prime Minister/Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon ordered governmental organisations to maintain their surveillance cameras well or they would be punished, as the government will use the devices to boost public safety. After a meeting on the integration of close-circuit television cameras at Government House, Gen Prawit said that the government planned to link CCTV cameras nationwide. There were about 300,000 CCTV cameras. The government would integrate cameras in 74 provinces and set aside such devices in three southern border provinces, he said. Defence Ministry spokesman Khongcheep Tantrawanich said the government planned to integrate CCTV cameras of the government and the private sector in public areas to boost public safety, reduce crime and facilitate the arrests of suspects. The plan would also help cut the number of officials deployed at border crossings and commercial areas, he said. According to him, there are about 367,000 CCTV cameras nationwide. They were both indoor and outdoor and about 8,000 cameras must be repaired. Any government agencies that fail to maintain their cameras will be punished. The government would introduce tax incentives to encourage business operators to install more CCTV cameras, Lt Gen Khongcheep said. (TNA)