Watchdogs! The strays trying to keep Thai streets safe

Record ID: 908788

  • Title: Watchdogs! The strays trying to keep Thai streets safe
  • Date: 4th September 2017
  • Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (AUGUST 31, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DOGS SITTING ON CHAIRS SMART VESTS ON GROUND MEMBERS OF CREATIVE TEAM AT CHEIL (THAILAND) LTD. PUTTING ON VEST FOR THE DOGS HANDS ADJUSTING THE VEST ON A DOG CHEIL'S SOFTWARE OFFICER SITTING AND ASSEMBLING HIDDEN CAMERA HIDDEN CAMERA VARIOUS OF HANDS TIGHTENING AND SCREWING IN CAMERA VARIOUS OF BATTERY PACK AND HARD DISC BEING INSERTED INTO VEST VARIOUS OF PAKORNKRIT KHANTAPRAP, 28, A MEMBER OF THE CREATIVE TEAM AT CHEIL PUTTING VEST ON A DOG HIDDEN CAMERA ON VEST (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) CREATIVE TEAM MEMBER AT CHEIL (THAILAND), PAKORNKRIT KHANTAPRAP, 28, SAYING: "We think that the stray dogs aren't going to be that different (to a house dog). We wanted to come up with a tool that would show the benefits of these dogs and make (people) feel that stray dogs can be night-watchers, so that's where the idea of making them watchdogs for communities came from." VARIOUS OF DOG WEARING SMART VEST WALKING OWNER OF CHAIPHAK DOG TRAINING CENTRE GESTURING HIS DOG TO SIT ON A CHAIR LOGO READING (English): "WATCHDOGS" / DOGS SITTING VARIOUS OF OTHER DOGS AT DOG TRAINING CENTRE BARKING AND LOOKING ON VARIOUS OF DOGS WEARING SMART VESTS RUNNING AROUND COMMUNITY AREA (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER AT CHEIL (THAILAND), SATIT JANTAWIWAT, SAYING: "Our philosophy at work is to show how creativity and technology can be used together to help solve problems for the people or society." DOGS WEARING VEST WALKING
  • Embargoed: 18th September 2017 09:29
  • Keywords: dog security. smart vest Cheil Thai street dog South Korea
  • Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND / PHUKET, THAILAND
  • Topics: Human Interest / Brights / Odd News
  • Reuters ID: LVA0046X6KXG9
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Meet the four-legged furry friends chosen to test run a prototype 'smart vest' which could turn stray dogs into heroes by spotting potentially unfriendly strangers and other dangers within a community.
    Creators from a South Korean-based advertising agency Cheil (Thailand), a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, hope the 'smart vest' wearing canines will inspire Thais to view street dogs in a positive light rather than a nuisance.
    "We think that the stray dogs aren't going to be that different (to a house dog). We wanted to come up with a tool that would show the benefits of these dogs and make (people) feel that stray dogs can be night-watchers, so that's where the idea of making them watchdogs for communities came from," said creative team member Pakornkrit Khantaprap.
    A hidden camera is attached to the collar of a dog's vest and activated when its sensors detect aggressive barking noises, sending a live streaming video of what the dog saw in front of them to a central location.
    Martin Turner, a managing director of the Phuket-based Soi Dog Foundation, a group formed over a decade ago to save street dogs and cats in Thailand, welcomed the initiative idea but deemed the vests to be in an early 'trial and error' stage.
    The project began in March 2017 and the Cheil Company says there will be more development before the project is introduced for a full trial run in the community.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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