Video surveillanceaxis targets huge growth in thailand

Digital videosurveillance firm Axis Communications yesterday announced its business strategy to tap the huge potential in Thailand.

Norwaybased Axis will strengthen its domestic presence through its partner programmes. The company also plans to expand its portfolio of network video cam¬eras and technology to address key markets, such as hospitality, trans¬port, infrastructure and govern¬ment, which it has identified as highgrowth segments.

"Thailand generally has bigger business operations compared with Hong Kong and Singapore, where the market has already matured. Less developed countries will have more opportunities for growth. Also, Thailand has a potential hos¬pitality industry, and security is pri¬marily needed in those businesses," said Lee Oh Tee, regional director for the southern AsiaPacific.

"Over the next three years, Axis expects 60percent growth in Thailand, especially from hospital¬ity businesses and educational institutions."

The company sells products in three areas. They are network cam¬eras, such as fixed cameras, net¬workdome cameras, PTZ cameras and cameras for day and night, for both indoors and outdoors; video encoders to help users migrate ana¬logue CCTV systems into IPbased video; and videomanagement software for remote viewing, recording and event management.

Compared with CCTV, which posted growth of about 10 per cent globally last year, network cameras enjoy a higher growth rate around the world, 40 per cent. Last year in Thailand, the videosurveillance market was worth US$64.6 million (Bt2.21 billion), said research company IMS.

Lee said the penetration of videosurveil¬lance equipment in Asean was one camera for every 100 people. This is much lower than in Australia, with one for every 11. "There is huge potential for growth in the Asean market," he said.

"The world is seeing a shift from analogue to digital video surveillance, and Axis is well poised to ride this wave with its IPbased network video combined with wellestablished channelpartnership programmes. Asia is driving an increase in digital sur¬veillance, as countries like Thailand experience tremendous growth. We expect Thailand to be a key con¬tributor."

In Thailand, Axis has introduced globalpartnership programmes. These include a channelpartner programme for resellers, an appli¬cationdevelopment programme to assist software developers drive integration of Axis products into enduser products and an archi¬tecture and engineering pro¬gramme to support network archi¬tects, engineers and consultants who design and specify IPbased security systems.