The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration should properly maintain the security cameras under its supervision and not require instructions to do so, Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda said on Tuesday.
Gen Anupong was responding to questions about Pol Gen Somyot Pumpunmuang's comment that most of of the closed-circuit television cameras owned and maintained by the BMA were out of order, making it difficult for police gathering information on the movements of people suspected of involvement in the Aug 17 bombing of the Erawan Shrine at Ratchaprasong intersection.
"In principle, the BMA is duty-bound to keep all of the security cameras under its supervision in good condition. I will instruct City Hall to look into this matter. In fact, it is the BMA's responsibility to do this without needing my instruction," Gen Anupong said before attending Tuesday's cabinet meeting.
Pol Gen Somyot, the national police chief, said on Monday that 15 of the 20 cameras operated by the BMA between Ratchaprasong intersection and the Silom area were not functioning.
He also said the images from the five working cameras were indistinct, too blurry to give investigators a clear and complete picture of events.
Tripob Khantayaporn, director of the BMA’s Traffic System Development Division, declined to confirm whether the 15 cameras were inoperative.
He said the cameras do not produce clear pictures because they are designed to give a panoramic view of the area from a certain vantage point. This was unlike police-operated cameras, which could zoom in on traffic offenders.
Mr Tripob said the BMA has around 57,000 CCTV cameras in Bangkok. Of these, about 10,000 are new and capable of taking high-resolution pictures.
He added that the BMA street cameras could be adjusted to focus on a specific location instead of a wide shot if necessary.