KANCHANABURI, March 19 (TNA) – The Thong Pha Phum court
in Kanchanaburi province sentenced Premchai Karnasuta, president of
Italian-Thai Development PCL, to 16 months in jail in the controversial black
leopard hunting case and the imprisonment was not suspended.
He was granted bail and banned from leaving the country.
Premchai and three other defendants heard the ruling
concerning their arrest at the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Thong Pha
Phum district of Kanchanaburi on Feb 3, 2018.
Carcasses of protected animals including a black leopard
were found about 300 meters from their camp, near Lampachi stream in the
western part of the sanctuary.
Earlier prosecutors arraigned the four on six charges
concerning gun possession, hunting, carcass possession and forest product
collection.
Apart from Premchai, Yong Dodkhruea was sentenced to 13
months in jail. Nathee Riamsaen faced a four-month term and was fined 10,000
baht. The court suspended her imprisonment sentence for two years. Thanee
Thummat was sentenced to two years and 17 months in jail. The court also
ordered them to pay 2 million baht in compensation.
After their arrest, police searched Premchai’s house in
Bangkok and found many more guns and elephant tusks. Premchai and others also
faced charges related to the guns and the tusks. He was also arraigned on
attempted bribery related to the poaching case. (TNA)
