Human excrement found in front of construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta's vehicle parked in Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi, where he allegedly poached wildlife, could tie him to the hunting of a rare black leopard, a park official said.
The president of Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD) was arrested along with three other people in the sanctuary on Feb 4. Several carcasses of protected wild animals, including an Indochinese black leopard, were found with them.
Mr Premchai has denied any link to the discovered carcasses.
Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn, head of the the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation's special taskforce centre on forest protection, known as the Phraya Suea unit, said the faeces found in front of the tycoon's car could be surprise evidence that could confirm his connection to the poaching.
He said the human faeces was only three metres from where the shotgun pellet covers were found at the scene, adding the faeces had been sent to forensic experts for examination.
Mr Chaiwat said the faeces was unlikely to belong to the other men with Mr Premchai -- his driver and a hunter -- in the hunting party. Mr Chaiwat said the two men would not dare relieve themselves in front of their boss's vehicle. A third person in the hunting team, a woman, was ruled out as it is unlikely she would defecate in the open, he said.
Mr Chaiwat said the spot was also near the place where the black leopard's meat was sliced off and its innards removed. While waiting for the hunter to prepare the leopard meat, Mr Premchai may have decided to relieve himself, he said.
Meanwhile, in the northeastern province of Loei, provincial authorities yesterday inspected six rai of land in Phu Ruea district, owned by PCK International Company, of which Mr Premchai is a board member. They suspected the title deed of the land was unlawfully issued.
The company earlier held title deeds covering 6,215 rai of land in the province.