Thungyai wildlife sanctuary chief Wichien Chinnawong, who led the arrest of the president of Italian-Thai Development (ITD) and his party, could face disciplinary action for allegedly failing to collect a 110 baht entrance fee from them.
Deputy police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said the 38-year-old head of the western part of Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi admitted under questioning that he did not collect the admission fee from construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta and his three companions.
The charge was a 20 baht entrance fee each and 30-baht for bringing a vehicle into the sanctuary.
Pol Gen Srivara said investigators would submit their report to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, which would look into whether Mr Wichien breached the department’s regulations.
The department would decide whether disciplinary action should be taken against him.
Legal action could also be taken against him, but that decision would also be left to the discretion of the department.
Pol Gen Srivara said an exemption of the admission fee was possible if visitors submitted an official letter to the director of the sanctuary and it was approved.
However, in this case, the letter handed to the director on Feb 2 was issued by Mr Wichien, not Mr Premchai.
Mr Wichien said despite having no authorisation, he decided to grant permission to Mr Premchai’s group and did not collect the admission fee because he had been ordered by the director to facilitate the group's visit.
According to Mr Wichien’s letter, entry permission was granted to Mr Premchai’s group for research purposes. The entrance fee was also exempted.
Pol Gen Srivara denied speculation that Mr Premchai had visited the sanctuary earlier, saying investigators had not found any evidence indicating a previous visit there.
Investigators would consider whether to summons the sanctuary director for questioning.
Speaking about Mr Premchai’s alleged offer of a bribe in the form of survival kit items to Mr Wichien during the arrest, Pol Gen Srivara said Mr Wichien had laid a complaint against the four men in this matter with the Central Investigation Bureau’s Counter Corruption Division.
Pol Gen Srivara said investigators could identify the two men speaking in an audio recording of a conversation about the alleged bribery.
Their names were not being released as it could affect the investigation, he said.
Mr Premchai, 63, was arrested in the sanctuary on Sunday night along with three others -- ITD employee Yong Dodkhruea, 65, of Ratchaburi, Nathee Riamsaen, 43, from Nakhon Ratchasima, and Thanee Thummat, 56, from Kanchanaburi.
They were found with the carcasses of protected wild animals, including a 1.48-metre-long Indochinese leopard, a Kalij pheasant and a common muntjac, also known as a barking deer, as well as three long-barrelled weapons and ammunition.
The four have been granted bail with a bond of 150,000 baht each. They denied the charges.
