The Tourist Police Bureau unveiled the "Phuket Model" on Sept. 12, an initiative aimed at improving safety response in tourist destinations nationwide, according to The Phuket News.

It combines drone surveillance, 3D terrain mapping, and AI-powered analysis to help officers plan patrols and respond to incidents more effectively.

Aircraft survey tourist attractions to build three-dimensional terrain databases that officers can draw on when planning patrols or responding to incidents.

The approach is aimed at hard-to-navigate areas like mountains, forests, and rocky terrain, where tourists are most likely to get lost or injured.

If someone goes missing in the hills, for instance, officers could pull up the stored 3D data to pinpoint the area and map out a rescue route on the spot, rather than surveying from scratch.

Beyond mapping, drone footage will also be analyzed by AI systems that count people and vehicles, define monitoring zones, flag possible altercations or traffic accidents, and read vehicle license plates.

Tourists are seen inside the Grand Palace, one of the favorite tourist spots in Bangkok, Thailand, May 20, 2025. Photo by Reuters

At crowded events or attractions, AI-assisted crowd-density monitoring helps officers spot safety risks early and deploy personnel more efficiently.

The technology is being rolled out nationwide, with 128 drones and 32 drone patrol vehicles supplied to tourist police stations, The Thaiger reported.

It is paired with 11 Mobile CCOC vehicles and four microbuses fitted with AI cameras capable of facial detection and tracking individuals wanted on arrest warrants, and 32 new smart check point systems.

Officers are also getting smart patrol gear, including reflective vests, translation devices, digital radios, and body cameras, to improve communication and on-the-ground response.

Alongside the tech, Thailand is expanding taser training for its tourist police to enable officers to control violent and dangerous situations.

The Thai tourism industry faces mounting pressure on multiple fronts.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand reported that international arrivals have declined for two consecutive years: down 7.23% in 2025 to nearly 33 million visitors, and running roughly 3% behind last year's pace through August 2026 at just over 20.9 million arrivals recorded.

Security concerns have also hurt the industry.

The January 2025 kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was taken to a scam center near the Myanmar border, triggered a wave of flight cancellations from China.

In May 2026, four Thai police officers and a civilian were arrested after five Chinese nationals were allegedly detained and extorted for ransom in Sa Kaeo. The case prompted calls for stronger oversight of law enforcement and domestic security, as Thai authorities faced mounting pressure to protect foreign visitors and restore confidence in tourist safety, The Nation reported.