Pattaya City goes ‘high-tech’ to with latest technology

The Mayor has therefore allowed the Coast Guards of Pattaya City to initiate the project on GPS tracking systems with the hope that the installment of these systems will help ensure the safety of speedboats, tourist boats, fishing boats and transportation boats. It will also allow immediate help to be administered to anyone in the range of 50 kilometers along the Pattaya Bay.

The mayor has revealed that only 500 boats will have the GPS system installed initially as a trial run to allow the operators to be acquainted with the system. He stressed that the project would allow immediate help in case of a forceful invasion of foreign boats, as well as allowing the Coast Guards to locate boats that are in peril. However, it was also mentioned that this system would have to be worked alongside the pre-existing ways of sea safety measures, which include communications via the radio and the ‘1337’ call center. Mr. Surat Thepchaito, Head of Pattaya Coast Guards, has pointed out that the technology uses VHF signals and includes a GPS and a DSC system. In addition to this, there are 2 different types of equipment that can be used, first being the CPV350 (used in bigger boats) and the 1500S (used in smaller boats). It was also mentioned that the system has a DSC screen, which allows people on board to view the status and position of their vessel. However, a red ‘Distress’ notification is also included in case of emergencies.

Thepchaito continued to reveal that of the 500 ships, 300 ships compiling of speedboats, passenger boats and yachts were already fitted with the technology free of charge even though the cost of this installment is 30,000 baht for smaller models, and 50,000 baht for the bigger systems. Thepchaito recalled an incident where a vessel was swept from the Gulf of Thailand towards the Philippines Sea, and confidently stated that if such a case or any other similar incidents were to happen again, the tracking system would provide solid support.

As for further projects, there have been investment plans to establish designated ‘swimming zones’ in the sea to further increase tourist safety. Many tourists also like to swim during the night so the installment of cameras along the coastline of Pattaya, Jomtien and Wongamat Beach – covering 5-7 kilometers, has been proposed