Khon Kaen city police have trained gold shop operators to use an SOS emergency alert app, allowing them to request help directly with immediate location details, reducing response times and increasing the chances of apprehending offenders.
At 2:00 p.m. on 24 Feb 2026 GMT+7, at the Khon Kaen City Police Station meeting room, Police Lieutenant General Santi Chainiramai, Commander of Provincial Police Region 4, presided over the opening of a training project on using the SOS emergency alert application. Seventy gold shop owners from the Khon Kaen City Police area participated in the training. Additionally, police commanders from 12 provinces in Region 4 attended the session.
The Commander of Provincial Police Region 4 explained that the SOS emergency alert app training was prompted by current risks faced by businesses and communities, including theft, fire, and gas hazards. A rapid and accurate alert and response system is needed. Thus, an emergency monitoring and response center system was developed to improve incident reporting, situation tracking, and safety management in the area. The SOS app uses internet and information systems to provide immediate alerts and allows for retrospective data review to analyze and plan future prevention.
The SOS app training reflects the concern of Provincial Police Region 4, Khon Kaen Provincial Police, and Khon Kaen City Police for public life and property safety. Seventy gold shop operators, a high-risk business group in Khon Kaen City Police jurisdiction, learned to use the SOS system on smartphones to directly send help signals to control centers and police officers. The app provides immediate location data, reducing response times and increasing the likelihood of catching criminals.
Before training the gold shop operators, Khon Kaen City Police demonstrated a simulated emergency alert from a local gold shop so participants could practice the entire process—from pressing the alert button and sending coordinates to coordinating police response. Besides gold shops, the police have coordinated with banks and convenience stores in the area to join the SOS emergency alert app project.
“This project is part of the police’s proactive crime prevention approach, aiming to use digital technology to safeguard public life and property. It also fosters collaboration between the government and private sectors to tangibly enhance safety in Khon Kaen province,” said the commander.
Police Colonel Yosawat Kaewsuebtanij, Chief of Khon Kaen City Police Station, stated that using the SOS emergency alert app marks a significant step in improving safety systems in Khon Kaen. He acknowledged that crime patterns are increasingly complex and rapidly changing, especially incidents involving high-value property such as gold shops, which require modern, fast, and responsive preventive measures.
“Applying digital technology to crime prevention and suppression is a suitable strategy aligned with modern society. The SOS app developed by Khon Kaen City Police is not just a technological tool but a safety bridge between businesses and police. When incidents occur, alerts go directly to the control center with precise coordinates, enabling swift and accurate police patrol deployment,” he explained.
The SOS app is simple to use: users install the app, and when an incident occurs, they press the SOS button. The system sends data to the control center, the dashboard displays the event immediately, alert devices activate, and officers respond accordingly.
Regarding alert signals, gold shops trigger red alerts to the Khon Kaen City Police CCOC center, banks generate yellow alerts, and convenience stores send blue alerts.
Mr. Wichian Jaruratphan, owner of Jutong Heng gold shop on Sri Chan Road in Khon Kaen city, said after participating in the SOS app training that he felt the police showed great care for gold shop owners, banks, and convenience stores in the area. He acknowledged the app as an excellent program that all sales staff and owners could install, making it very convenient and enhancing gold shop security. He thanked the police for prioritizing these businesses.
After the training, the Commander of Provincial Police Region 4 and his team toured the Khon Kaen City Police CCOC center to observe the work details of police officers on duty, who rotate shifts at the center 24 hours a day.