With only two police officers to patrol the vast Muang Ek community in Pathum Thani per shift, fighting crime had been a near-impossible mission.
Urgent help was needed to keep the 60,000 students at Rangsit University and another 20,000 local residents safe. So the university, which is at the heart of the community, put together a project to support the police by training its 15 security guards to assist local police in crime detection and prevention.
The project launched last year proved to be an instant success, with a reduction in street crimes common in the area such as grab-and-run theft. The overall crime rate has fallen by 70%, according to police.
Now, the project is moving into its second phase which involves university students getting in on the policing act.
"Ten students are being recruited to work alongside security guards and police officers in helping maintain safety and order not just in the university but in the wider Muang Ek community," police said.
The project's success has drawn a positive reaction from the students, and more than 40 have applied to walk the beat, which comes with the personal satisfaction of seeing their community security boosted as well as a modest allowance.
Both sexes are allowed to take part in the project. The students first go through "observation" training, where they are deployed as receptionists at the university rector's office.
They will be taught how to detect suspicious activity in those that pass through. They also monitor the university's security system, which includes CCTV cameras and the operation of a mobile application called "RSU Police".
The smartphone app is used for soliciting anonymous tip-offs about crimes in the community.
