16-month imprisonment for Premchai Karnasuta

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)