Thailand Investigations Blog
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Surveillance is one of the most important aspects of private investigation. The ability to follow someone and shadow his or her movements – where he or she goes to, the places he or she frequents. Data and other information you get through this can make a case. So here are some tips in surveillance.

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1. Use a GPS real time tracking device.

Since we started using this technology, tracking subjects has become much easier, with us never losing track of where the subject is going, so we don’t even need to stay too close.

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2. Operate out of neutral looking vehicles.

The most common are vans, but the key here is to be as inconspicuous as possible, so if a car fits in better, use a car.

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3. Keep your distance.

The last thing you want your subject to notice is that someone is following him or her, so best keep your distance. Two or three cars away is the normal distance when following by car, but having a GPS real time tracking device makes everything easier. Be sure though that you are close enough not to lose the subject in case he or she stops and goes on foot.

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4. Be a meticulous note taker.

Take notes of plate numbers of vehicles nearby, especially ones he or she gets into besides the one he or she owns. The same goes with the names of establishments he or she frequents so you can do some background and follow-up checking on these locations later on. You may prefer to have a voice recorder instead of a notepad (or even both) for your notes.

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5. When doing video surveillance, be sure to take wide shots of the place with the subject in it so you can verify that he or she was really there. The same goes for photographs.

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These are a few basic tips. But remember that conducting a surveillance operation is far from easy – it requires a lot of self-control and patience. Your subject (provided he or she is actually up to no good) will not always be engaged in activities that directly affect your investigation. You have to follow him or her for long periods of time before you can catch him or her doing something wrong. One wrong move and you can get detected, and everything is ruined. Your target becomes aware of you, and will be more cautious and clever in disguising his or her movements from you or anyone – they will be constantly looking over their back. The slightest hint of suspicion – wrongdoers, whether cheating spouses or girlfriends, or fraudulent business partners and the like are extra paranoid, since they know they’re doing something wrong – will be enough to make them warier and more sensitive to anybody who might be following them. This will only serve to make things harder. So if you’re not confident about your skills, it is best to hire a professional for the job, which entails a much lower chance of failure (although we hasten to say that surveillance is not an exact science, and there is no sure-fire way to be 100% successful).