PATTAYA — In a sign of how technology is reshaping law enforcement in Thailand’s busiest tourist hubs, Pattaya Tourist Police have used an AI-powered facial recognition camera system to track down and arrest an Indian national who overstayed his visa by 43 days, cutting short his Songkran celebrations.

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The arrest took place at approximately 11:52 a.m. on April 19, 2026, during the Pattaya Wan Lai water festival, one of the final and most exuberant days of the annual Songkran holiday. A team of investigators from Tourist Police Station 4, under the command of Police Major Praba Da Suksunthorn, conducted a crime suppression operation along Beach Road, a popular thoroughfare packed with revellers during the festival period.

Deployed as part of the operation was the CCOC Mobile operational vehicle, equipped with an AI-powered facial recognition camera system known as the “Duantaphikat On Mobile” or “Deadly Eye Mobile.” The system scans crowds in real time, cross-referencing faces with databases of individuals wanted on arrest warrants or flagged for immigration violations. As the patrol vehicle moved along Beach Road, the AI system identified a foreign man in the crowd and flagged him for overstaying his permission to remain in the kingdom.

The suspect was identified as Mr. Surinder Sangrah, a 35-year-old Indian national. A check of immigration records confirmed that he had overstayed his visa by 43 days. Officers took the man into custody on the spot, ending his Songkran partying abruptly and without celebration. He was charged with “being an alien who has entered and remained in the Kingdom after the expiration of permission,” a violation that typically results in fines, detention, deportation at the offender’s expense, and a ban on re-entry.

The arrest is part of a broader policy directive from Tourist Police Commander Police Lieutenant General Saksi Sira Phueak-am, who has emphasized the use of modern technology to prevent and suppress crime. The focus includes tracking individuals with outstanding arrest warrants and foreign nationals who overstay their visas, both of which are seen as threats to public safety and Thailand’s reputation as a welcoming tourist destination.

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Following his arrest, Sangrah was transferred to the investigation team at Pattaya City Police Station in Chon Buri province for further legal proceedings. He will eventually be deported at his own expense. For the Indian national, a Songkran holiday meant for water fights and celebration ended in handcuffs, a cautionary tale for any foreign visitor tempted to linger beyond their permitted stay. For the Tourist Police, the arrest was a validation of their investment in AI technology: the Deadly Eye had done its job, and another overstayer was off the streets.

-Thailand News (TN)