Tycoon's trial on wildlife poaching charges begins

Tycoon's trial on wildlife poaching charges begins

Italian-Thai Development president Premchai Karnasuta, 63, charged with wildlife poaching, arrives at Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court in Kanchanaburi province on Tuesday morning, the first day of the trial. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)
Italian-Thai Development president Premchai Karnasuta, 63, charged with wildlife poaching, arrives at Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court in Kanchanaburi province on Tuesday morning, the first day of the trial. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)

KANCHANABURI: The trial of Italian-Thai Development president Premchai Karnasuta and three accomplices on wildlife poaching charges began in the Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court on Tuesday.

Mr Premchai, his lawyer, and the three co-defendants arrived at the court around 8.30am.

They were arrested on the night of Feb 4 at their campsite in Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, a Unesco World Heritage site, in Kanchanaburi province.

The three co-defendants are Italian-Thai Development employees -- Yong Dodkhruea, Thanee Thummat and Ms Nathee Riamsaen.

They were found in possession of several dead animals, including the meat of a rare black leopard and its pelt. Mr Premchai insisted he did not shoot the leopard and maintains his innocence.

Mr Premchai, 63, did not respond to reporters' questions before going into the courtroom on the second floor.

Around 9.20am, Wichian Chinnawong, the Kanchanaburi wildlife sanctuary chief who led a team to arrest Mr Premchai, arrived at the court. 

Mr Wichian said he was not heavy-hearted about the case and would do his best. (continues below)

Wichian Chinnawong, the Kanchanaburi wildlife sanctuary chief who led the team that arrested Mr Premchai in February this year, arrives at the court on Tuesday morning to testify for the prosecution. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)

Shortly after, deputy police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul showed up. He told reporters he was at the court as a witness for the prosecution.

Prosecutors have pressed six charges against the defendants. They are: carrying firearms in public without permission, colluding to hunt wildlife in a wildlife sanctuary without permission, hunting protected wildlife without permission, possessing protected wildlife carcasses without permission, concealing wildlife carcasses obtained illegally, and collecting wildlife items in a national forest reserve without permission

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has demanded the four defendants pay 12.75 million baht in compensation

Pol Gen Srivara was the first prosecution witness to testify, followed by Mr Wichian. 

Emerging later from the courtroom, Pol Gen Srivara said he could not reveal any details.  

However, he was confident the prosecution would bring the offenders to task as charged. 

Mr Premchai and his co-defendants were still in the courtroom. The first day of the hearing was continuing.

The Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court will hear from 32 prosecution witnesses over 10 scheduled days --  Nov 27-30, Dec 6-7, Dec 11-13 and Dec 18. The court has scheduled six days to hear 17 defence witnesses  --  Dec 19, 20, 21, 25, 26 and 27.

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul tells reporters he cannot reveal any details after testifying as the first prosecution witness in the trial of Premchai Karnasuta on wildlife poaching charges, which began in the Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court on Tuesday.  (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)

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