Thailand dials up emergency response with smart tech
New Android-based system pinpoints caller location without needing an app download
Getting help in a crisis just got faster, thanks to a high-tech upgrade that puts police one step closer when every second counts.
Advanced Info Service (AIS) has teamed up with the Patrol and Special Operations Division (191) and Google to launch Thailand’s first-ever 191 Emergency Location Service (191 ELS), dramatically improving the way emergency calls are handled across the country.
Unveiled yesterday, August 22, the new service is designed to pinpoint a caller’s exact location, even if they don’t know where they are, cutting down crucial minutes in emergencies.
Police Major General Worawit Yannajinda, Commander of the Patrol and Special Operations Division, hailed the development as a breakthrough in public safety.
“Too often, callers can’t provide their exact location during an emergency. This system solves that problem and helps us get there faster.”
The 191 hotline handles a wide range of urgent situations, from crimes and car crashes to fires and natural disasters. But officers have long faced delays when callers can’t describe where they are. The new ELS feature changes the game by instantly transmitting GPS coordinates to emergency responders.
Wanvisa Mingcharoen, Google’s Head of Platform and Devices for Asia Pacific, explained that the Android-based Emergency Location Service (ELS) works silently in the background.
“It uses Advanced Mobile Location technology, with no app needed. It’s fast, secure, and it saves lives.”
Saran Phaloprakarn, Head of AIS’s Mobile Product Business Unit, said AIS is proud to be the first provider in Thailand to offer the service.
“Our network is built to handle sensitive, real-time data like this. It’s about giving peace of mind to all citizens and tourists too.”
The service works automatically on compatible Android smartphones connected to the AIS network. It also supports foreign SIM cards, making it accessible to tourists needing emergency help.
AIS plans to expand ELS integration to more government agencies and emergency response units to create a broader safety net nationwide, reported KhaoSod.
Jaturon Choksawat, Assistant Secretary-General of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), praised the collaboration, calling it “a huge leap forward in public safety.”
“We’re working to ensure ELS reaches everyone, no matter the device or network.”
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