Keeping Phuket safe for its residents and visitors is a force of extremely fit policemen. In their smart, commanding green uniforms, Phuket's police make a confident impression.

With a spate of recent drug-busts and succesful investigative raids on organised crime on the island, the reputation of Phuket's dashing police force is at an all-time high.

The instituting of CCTV cameras over at significant locations on the island, over the last year, have generated a lot of interest, and promise of incease in the safety levels on the island. A recent call from the governor to add to the already exisiting number of cameras and networks has again brought the CCTVs into focus.

Phuket Post reporter Tanisa Bunyasiwa met Lt. Col. Sompong Bunyarat, Deputy Superintendent of Police, to get the policeman's perspective of what's happening on the island, and his opinion of the recent bolstering of Phuket's safety apparatus with CCTVs.

Pol.Lt.Col Sompong Bunyarat expressed confidence in the force's ability to provide security to Phuket. “Presently, a risky area is Sakdidate Road along Saphan Hin which has had the most incidents of crimes such as chain or purse snatchings.” said Lt. Col. Bunyarat, “But crime is a normal problem for a big city with a large population, like Phuket.” He reiterated that the Phuket police is well-equipped to keep it under control.

“Last year we had some police from Nakorn Si Tammarat province and some other nearby provinces, who came to Phuket for a break, and also worked with Phuket police to reinforce, protect and watch closely over the security for Phuket.

“This year, for the high season we have a plan to pay close attention to the safety of the tourists that visit the island, ensuring that Phuket remains a safe destination.”

Commenting on the use of CCTVs and the benefits thereof, Pol.Lt.Col Sompong Bunyarat said, “We are satisfied with CCTVs helping in up to about 50% of crime cases, and more than 70% of instances in cases of road accidents in Phuket.

“We have been striving to derive the maximum benefit out of the use of the CCTV network. In some areas we have had to redirect CCTVs, and make several adjustments and changes for better vision, and to ensure that we get most accurate details available.

“The most significant help from CCTVs is in the sphere of accident cases, as CCTVs serve to reliably record the entire situation and we can print pictures to confirm what really happened. These pictures also serve as irrefutable evidence in lawsuits.

In case of instances of crime, CCTVs helps, but to a lesser extent than in cases of accidents. Criminal investigation is much trickier and evidence from CCTVs depends on the quality and number of photographs from each network, where available.” explained Pol.Lt.Col. Bunyarat.

“So it tends to be just a part of a criminal investigation. The investigation by the police comprises of replaying the tapes to ascertain the movements of the culprits, the indentification of the culprit's clothing and checking for unusual happenings or situations in the time both before and after the crime.”

He added, “Wherever CCTVS have high quality visuals like in some areas of Phuket town, providing the ability to zoom in at different levels and angles, they then can be of enormous help to the police, providing vital clues that can aid in nabbing the culprits.”

Besides helping in the two above-mentioned cases, CCTVs also help the police in social management, especially in terms of traffic management, as the police can see and record all cars in Phuket that break the rules, like shooting through red lights, which is a common occurence at some intersections, he added.

Pol.Lt.Col. Bunyarat is of the opinion that there are currently enough policemen working in Phuket, “but more would be even better.”

“CCTVs do help us, but police patrols continue to monitor their areas of responsibility, the work is spread out over the force to ensure 24 hours of patroling everyday.

“In Phuket town for example, patroling is divided over 9 areas, each batch of police officers have to patrol for 8 hours, they can then rest for 24 hours before it's their turn to take up the patrol again.”

Tanisa Bunyasiwa