Ex-park chief Chaiwat again cleared of murder

Ex-park chief Chaiwat again cleared of murder

Chaiwat Limlikit-auksorn pictured in April 2014, when he was chief of Kaeng Krachan National Park.(Bangkok Post file photo)
Chaiwat Limlikit-auksorn pictured in April 2014, when he was chief of Kaeng Krachan National Park.(Bangkok Post file photo)

The Region 7 Appeals Court on Thursday upheld the lower court's acquittal of Chaiwat Limlikit-auksorn, a former chief of Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi province, and four alleged accomplices of the murder of Karen rights defender and politician Tatkamol Ob-om in early 2011.

The alleged accomplices in this case were: Sak Plabngam, accused of being the gunman; Chuchai Sukprasert, a former member of tambon Bang Kao administration organisation in Cha-am district; and two park employees, Tawatchai Thongsuk and Duang Sangthong.

The case was filed with the Phetchaburi Provincial Court on Dec 29, 2011. Prosecutors accused the five of conspiring to murder Tatkamol, a Pheu Thai Party election candidate in Phetchaburi, who was running a campaign supporting the right of Karen ethnic people to live in the park.

Tatkamol was banned from taking his campaign for Karen rights into the park on the grounds he had disrupted ethnic minority development in the park. This sparked a conflict between him and Mr Chaiwat and park officials, according to a police investigation.

Tatkamol was shot dead while he was driving his car on the Phetkasem Highway in Phetchaburi’s Ban Lat district on Sept 10, 2011. Surveillance camera video of a sedan the suspects allegedly used to follow and kill the victim served as a key piece of evidence. The court ruled the pictures were not clear enough to identify it as belonging to the suspects.

The Phetchaburi court dismissed the case on Oct 28, 2013, saying the evidence did not carry enough weight.  

The prosecutors appealed.

The Region 7 Appeals Court on Thursday upheld the lower court's ruling.

Mr Chaiwat and the four alleged accomplices were present at the court to hear the ruling.

The former Kaeng Krachan National Park chief said he was glad to have been given justice in every case filed against him.

He said people who had followed his work knew well that he had been persecuted by certain people who wanted him out of the national park because he had fought hard against people who wanted to plunder its natural resources.

On Sept 1, the Supreme court upheld two lower court decisions and dismissed a case against Mr Chaiwat over the disappearance of Karen rights activities Porlajee "Billy" Rakchongcharoen.

Prior to Porlajee's disappearance, Mr Chaiwat was accused of attempting to evict Karen from the park by taking staff to set fire to their homes in Bangkloy Bon and Jai Phandin villages. This led to ongoing conflict between the Karen and park officials.

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