In Chiang Mai, police from PCT Region 5 raided a luxury residence and arrested a businessman who had hidden over 10 secret cameras, which he had installed throughout the women's restroom in a well-known downtown Chiang Mai mall. He remotely controlled the cameras and confessed to operating them for about one month. He claimed he did not sell the footage but kept it for personal viewing. Initially, he faces charges of possessing pornographic materials.
At 09:00 on 23 Apr 2026 GMT+7, PCT Region 5 officers, together with the Chiang Mai Provincial Police investigation team and Mae Ping Police Station officers, raided and arrested Mr. Chris, 41, at his luxury home in San Phi Suea Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chiang Mai. They seized two mobile phones and one laptop computer as evidence.
They also confiscated 11 small surveillance cameras capable of transmitting images remotely, along with a remote control device.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchai Pongwiwatthanachai, Deputy Commander of Region 5 Police, stated that on 16 Apr 2026 GMT+7, police received a report from staff at a store inside a department store in downtown Chiang Mai. They found a hidden surveillance camera installed near the sinks in the women's restroom, with its lens aimed at a toilet in a store within the Mae Ping Police jurisdiction. Authorities believed someone had secretly installed it.
Police then set up surveillance to track the suspect, eventually identifying Mr. Chris. They moved in to arrest him and brought him in for questioning at Mae Ping Police Station.
During interrogation, Mr. Chris admitted to placing hidden cameras in the mall’s restroom. He said he had done this for about a month after learning how from YouTube and purchasing the cameras online. He concealed the cameras in places where they were hard to see, such as inside air freshener boxes and beneath the sinks, installing them when no one was around.
He controlled the cameras remotely via a mobile phone.
The suspect claimed he did not share the footage on social media. After recording, he saved the videos on his laptop and watched them privately. He described this as a personal preference and a reckless act. In reality, the suspect is well-educated, comes from a good family background, and holds a respectable job. He said he was inspired after seeing similar posts on social media, which led him to try it until his arrest.
Initially, police have charged him with possession of child pornography for sexual exploitation, either for himself or others.
Meanwhile, Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchai Pongwiwatthanachai warned anyone considering such acts not to do so, as all activities leave traces and police can investigate and track offenders. He also advised women using public restrooms to be cautious and check their surroundings every time they enter.