Upgrading Chiang Mai City's security with our video systems
Bringing an ancient city into the 21st century
Lush, tropical forests neighbour a bustling metropolitan area – this is the lure of Chiang Mai, growing this home up to more than 1.7 million local and international inhabitants. With a rising tourism market and a digital innovator culture, the city’s population and economy have been revitalized.
With this influx, however, came growing pains
As the city continued to expand, the existing security system didn’t match the requirements anymore. It didn’t provide coverage to critical areas, and was unreliable in challenging weather conditions (such as heavy rain and high temperatures). Legal and traffic violations were left unsolved because of the missing evidence.
An ancient city built for just a few hundred citizens now had to house hundreds of thousands – as well as the car and foot traffic that followed. The ten cameras per road used to be sufficient – until ten more roads needed to be built. Further pressure was felt as more housing sprung up near the center, and the streets and sidewalks congested further.
The Chiang Mai Municipality knew an overhaul was needed.
Reliable security with clear images
The existing camera and surveillance systems did not offer adequate cover to monitor the streets, and Chiang Mai Municipality hoped for a reliable, innovative security system that would address these challenges as well as easily integrate with the existing infrastructure. Bosch recommended a multi-phase roll out of security products across Chiang Mai. Together with Northern Systems Corporation Co., Ltd, a surveillance system was designed specifically for the unique requirements of the city.
“We needed cameras that could capture clear images, such as license plates, even in bad weather or low light conditions. Together with Bosch, we designed an entire city surveillance system that met all of our precise requirements.”
Over 400 5-megapixel-resolution cameras were installed at strategic locations, particularly in high foot and road traffic areas and high-risk road junctions. These cameras returned crystal clear images back to a central CCTV controller lab in all weather conditions, from heavy rain to extreme heat. The reliability of the system means ongoing maintenance costs are minimal.
Reclaiming Confidence
The overall effect of the City Surveillance project is wide-reaching. The camera performance has been critical in monitoring the city even in the most challenging weather. Accurate data is now available for each safety zone, allowing for on-going improvements to roadways and infrastructure across the municipality. The police is now able to investigate much more effectively, in case of crimes, or traffic violations, due to clear images and intelligent video system analytics that can provide surveillance footage at any time with high quality images that are able to detect faces or license plates.
The new surveillance network now detects accidents and determines the severity of each case so the appropriate emergency service is quickly dispatched. Through intelligent traffic monitoring, responders can view in real-time if a road is congested, allowing for immediate re-routing of emergency services to shorten response time.
Chiang Mai now offers both residents and tourists a greater peace of mind when living, working and travelling throughout the city. The technology of instant camera surveillance provides a modern solution to the all-too-familiar problems experienced by this historical region of the world.
Our Partner: Northern Systems Corporation Co., Ltd.