Thai construction tycoon accused of poaching leopard
BANGKOK: A Thai construction tycoon has been arrested for poaching in a protected wildlife sanctuary, police said yesterday, as photos of hunting equipment and animal carcasses including a black leopard circulated on social media.
Premchai Karnasuta, president of Italian-Thai Development, a Bangkok-based company that helped build Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi airport and the capital’s elevated Skytrain, was arrested along with three other suspects.
Park rangers seized three rifles, 143 bullets and other hunting equipment as the group were detained in the Thungyai Naresuan national park in touristfriendly Kanchanaburi province on Sunday.
Photos released by park authorities show Premchai sitting in front of a tent surrounded by police, as well as animal skins, carcasses and a large hunting rifle with a scope.
“They were charged with illegal hunting, (and) illegal possession of carcasses of protected animals,” the national parks department said in a statement.
Thailand’s Wildlife Friends Foundation (WFFT) applauded the rangers and identified the slain animals as a black leopard, a Kalij pheasant, and a red muntjac or barking deer – protected species under Thai conservation law.
Sasin Chalermlarp, chairman of conservation group the Seub Nakkasathien Foundation, urged the government “not to fear the suspect’s business status and proceed under the law until the case is finalised to set a precedent.”
Italian-Thai Development did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Listed on Thailand’s Stock Exchange, the company known as Ital-Thai has been involved in several mass transit projects and operations in numerous countries abroad. – AFP