(July 12, 2025) – Bangkok City Hall has robustly defended its 2.3 billion baht expenditure on CCTV cameras over the past three years, clarifying that over 80% of the budget has been allocated to maintenance costs.

The explanation comes in response to allegations from the “Strong Anti-Corruption Thailand Club” Facebook page, which claimed the procurement prices were inflated and several projects suffered significant delays.

Sitthiporn Somkidsan, Director of the Traffic and Transport Department, addressed the criticisms head-on, providing a detailed breakdown of the spending and procurement processes.

Sitthiporn clarified that the 2.3 billion baht budget spanning 2023-2025 is primarily split into two categories.

He emphasised that the BMA’s CCTV cameras, totalling 65,015 units across 16,623 locations, serve crucial roles in traffic management and crime prevention.

The footage is vital for criminal investigations, bolstering Bangkok’s safety, and boosting tourism. Furthermore, image data is shared with various investigative agencies and provided to the public for use in cases involving traffic incidents, criminal activity, or lost property.

In the period from October 2023 to September 2024 alone, over 44,000 requests for image data were processed, a figure expected to rise annually.

The bulk of the budget, over 80% or roughly 800 million baht per year, falls under operating expenses.

This covers the comprehensive maintenance of the CCTV cameras and their associated systems, including data management, communication infrastructure, circuit rental, and status monitoring.

Contractors are held fully accountable for any equipment failures. The remaining portion of the budget is allocated as investment costs for purchasing and installing new cameras, as well as replacing faulty units.

Regarding procurement, Sitthiporn asserted that all processes adhere strictly to the Public Procurement and Supplies Management Act B.E. 2560 (2017).

Most projects utilise electronic bidding (e-bidding), with selective procurement only employed when absolutely necessary.

Pricing for both maintenance and new cameras is determined by central reference prices and specifications issued by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society.

The BMA meticulously follows Section 4 of the 2017 Public Procurement Act to set these reference prices, drawing from six verified sources.

These include calculations from the Central Price Committee, reference databases from the Comptroller General’s Department, standard prices from the Bureau of the Budget, market surveys, recent purchase records, and established government agency practices.
He confirmed that all projects have been completed on schedule as per their contracts, with minor delays in a few instances attributed to unavoidable obstacles that hindered contractors.

Sitthiporn also detailed how CCTV cameras are being leveraged for law enforcement.
While only certain areas have cameras for traffic violation detection, data is linked to relevant agencies like the Traffic Police Division for issuing electronic tickets.

Similarly, information on motorcycles illegally using pavements is shared with district offices for enforcement under the Maintenance of Cleanliness and Orderliness of the Country Act B.E. 2535 (1992).

For crime prevention and suppression, vehicle data is relayed to various police and anti-narcotics units to support their operations.

Continuous data coordination is in place for monitoring and evaluation, with agencies currently upgrading their systems to better isolate and utilise data directly linked from BMA.

The the has engaged a private company for the oversight, inspection, and maintenance of the CCTV system.

Furthermore, the first phase of the Bangkok Traffic and Security Technology Control and Management Centre is underway, expected to be operational by February 2026.

This advanced centre will feature an automated CCTV monitoring system, allowing officials to promptly address malfunctions, adjust camera angles, and trim any foliage obstructing views, ensuring maximum operational efficiency.

Sitthiporn concluded by reiterating that the BMA’s expenditure on CCTV cameras is entirely transparent, compliant with all official regulations, and solely aimed at enhancing public safety and supporting the work of related agencies.

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