Big Brother hits the beach: AI policing slashes crime in Pattaya
Facial recognition and silent phone tracking power new patrol tactics in Thailand’s tourist hotspot
Pattaya’s not just a party town anymore — it’s now a high-tech crime-fighting zone with eyes everywhere.
Thai police claim the latest artificial intelligence (AI)-powered surveillance system has cut physical assaults and property-related crimes in Pattaya by at least 40%. And if you’re walking the streets, chances are — you’re being watched.
Region 2 Police Chief Lieutenant General Yingos Thepchamnong revealed that targeted, tech-driven policing is behind the dramatic drop in crime.
“We can now identify threats faster and track down suspects more efficiently,” he said.
The so-called “Pattaya model” combines mobile surveillance units equipped with smart cameras and an AI-enhanced database of wanted and high-risk individuals. Developed jointly by tourist police, immigration officers, and Pattaya city authorities, the initiative is backed by the Central Investigation Bureau and a UK-based firm, Gorilla Technology.
Mike Wang, director of Gorilla Technology in Thailand and Asia, said: “Pattaya is becoming a new benchmark both regionally and globally.”
The surveillance doesn’t stop at street corners. Facial recognition tech can now identify random individuals, and cutting-edge tools can even detect mobile phones — switched off or not.
“It’s about creating a smarter, safer city,” said Wang.
Of course, some experts warn against relying too heavily on the numbers.
“Crime data can be soft,” said a police source. “Many incidents go unreported, and others — like consensual drug use — exist in legal grey areas.”
But the tech push is far from over.
Coming soon: self-driving police vehicles, AI-powered forensic software for fingerprint recovery, virtual reality training to handle mall shootings and riots, and fingertip scanners to unmask online predators and cybercriminals.
Drones with high-definition zoom lenses are also in development, alongside systems that retrieve deleted files from seized laptops, reported Pattaya Mail.
Globally, other countries are setting the pace. China’s AnBot robot — gunfire-resistant and built to patrol schools and banks — is already on the streets. In Dubai, airport touchscreens are linked to robotic officers for faster identity checks.
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