Robocop in Bangkok: Thailand unveils first AI police robot in festival

The robot, which was stationary during the event on Tonson Road in Bangkok, was equipped with 360-degree cameras and an AI chip to process the images captured.

Thailand's first robot police officer seen in April 2025 in Bangkok. Photo courtesy of Royal Thai Police

Dubbed "AI police cyborg 1.0," the robot also sourced data from CCTV around the event area and drone surveillance to detect high-risk individuals and alert human officers about any aggressive or disruptive behavior, the Royal Thai Police said in a Facebook post.

Developed by local police and government agencies, the robot, dressed in the same official uniform as his human counterparts, was equipped with the ability to detect weapons including wooden sticks, knives and swords.

Water guns, which are popular toys people used during Songkran to spray water on each other for luck, were excluded from the list of dangerous tools.

Police officers and firefighters pose for a photo with an AI robot officer in the center in Bangkok, Thailand in April 2025. Photo courtesy of Royal Thai Police

The robot used a combination of technologies including facial recognition, suspect tracking and behavior monitoring to ensure the safety of the event, a three-day holiday which is grounded on an ancient celebration of the end of the rice harvest season.

The fast-paced development of AI has led to various adoption of robots for safety purposes in several countries, although application remains in an early stage.

In March, China introduced humanoid robots in Shenzhen to patrol with police, interact with pedestrians and respond to voice commands.