Thai PM orders installation of CCTVs nationwide

BANGKOK, February 1 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has ordered the installation of surveillance cameras, or close-circuit television (CCTVs), nationwide to boost security operations and to support narcotic and criminal suppression. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister Anudith Nakornthap told reporters of the development on Friday, after a meeting of concerned authorities, chaired by the prime minister herself, aimed to help improve public safety, narcotic solutions and traffic control. Anudith said that the prime minister assigned the ICT Ministry to support security authorities in planning the nationwide installation of the CCTVs, as the prime minister considers modern software should be applied to record and recognize the faces of culprits and their vehicles licence plate numbers in order to prevent, rather than, to solve, untoward incidents. According to the ICT minister, an official committee will be formed to take charge of the project and its implementation will start as soon as possible, thanks to available modern technology. Meanwhile, Achporn Charuchinda, Secretary-General of the Council of State, noted that the prime minister also wants the project to cover home CCTVs so that police can help ensure household security. (TNA)