More charges in store as Premchai flies to Bangladesh

By SURIYA PATATAYOH 
THE NATION

 

 

Police say court order does not ban overseas.

 

THE OVERSEAS trip this weekend of embattled construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta, already charged with nine alleged offences related to poaching in a wildlife sanctuary, will be closely watched even as three more charges await him when he returns.

 

Premchai, president of Italian-Thai Development (ITD), is scheduled to fly to Bangladesh tomorrow by his personal jet and return to Bangkok the following day, a reliable source who asked not to be named said yesterday. Premchai will fly out of Don Mueang International Airport in his personal jet tomorrow at 9am with four passengers and two crew, the source said, adding he is scheduled to land in Bangkok at 5.30pm on Sunday.

 

 

Deputy national police chief Pol General Srivara Rangsibhramana-kul, meanwhile, said it was within Premchai’s rights to travel overseas as the bail granted to him by the court had not set any conditions preventing him from travelling abroad.

 

“Premchai has notified the police about his intention to go abroad but he did not identify his destination and schedule,” Srivara said. “I have already assigned immigration police to check the details of his trip.”

 

Premchai was arrested on February 4 along with three companions – his aide, cook and driver – and charged with nine poaching-related offences. The remains of butchered endangered species, including a rare black leopard, were found at his campsite located in a prohibited zone of the sanctuary.

 

His close aide had cited “observing nature” as the purpose while seeking permission from authorities for Premchai to visit the World Heritage sanctuary. Srivara told reporters that Premchai’s overseas trip would not impact the charges.

 

 

On March 14, Premchai will be charged with three more alleged offences – possession of elephant tusks without permission, possession of illegal guns, and attempting to bribe officials.

 

Authorities are also waiting for the National Parks, Wildlife and Plants department to decide whether to file charges against Premchai for disobeying orders by setting up his camp in a prohibited area.

 

Meanwhile, Myanmar Times online said the arrest of Premchai has caused alarm in Myanmar’s Dawei communities, where the company is developing the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

 

‘No threat to Dawei project’

 

The news outlet, however, also said that despite the unprecedented media and public outcry in Thailand, the SEZ project was unlikely to be affected.

 

Dawei Development Association board member Bo Bo told the online news site that the scandal had raised doubts over the suitability of ITD to implement the SEZ.

 

“It is worrying for the people of Dawei” to see the key stakeholder of Dawei SEZ facing multiple accusations, including allegedly killing an endangered species and allegedly attempting to bribe an official,” said the member of the Tanintharyi Region-based civil society organisation.

 

“ITD’s reputation and credibility have been severely tarnished, especially regarding environmental concerns,” said Bo Bo.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30340513

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-09

" “I have already assigned immigration police to check the details of his trip.” TOO LATE! LOL 

This could very well be a watershed case for Thailand, where's the government and it's judgeriey and law enforcement departments will be put to the tests to see if the laws in this country is equal for all or not, and that for is good for the poor couple who went foraging for mushrooms in national reserve and got lengthy prison time will stand here also with this man... 

I can only assume this is the signal for him to leave and not return.   It's how things seem to work.   The Shin's, the Red Bull guy, etc..   

 

I mean Bangladesh?   Will he develop a sore throat and have to stay for medical treatment?   He has enough money to buy the whole damned country.    

 

Good to see he’s allowed to travel. I’m sure immigration are keeping a very close eye on him. 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Premchai, president of Italian-Thai Development (ITD), is scheduled to fly to Bangladesh tomorrow by his personal jet

Bangladesh? Surely he can afford Dubai.

They'll throw the book at him on the way back if he's failed to declare his Casio watch serial number and two  photos at customs on the way out.

just forget this..and use the money saved on education and infrastructure..this drama is getting boring

The BCR tune 'bye bye baby' keeps running through my head for some reason !

He won't return.

1 hour ago, ramrod711 said:

Bangladesh? Surely he can afford Dubai.

 

You cant shoot tigers in Dubai.

Bangladesh "observing nature” expedition? 

At least the 1% will take this as a sign to behave.  I feel no end of glee seeing his name dragged through the mud.

Thai police never seem to learn from previous cases where high profile rich offenders flee the country with their loot.

...and one more rich Thai fugitive...

I hear this case is a scape goat for the junta and its watch scandle.

Sounds about right to me.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

More charges in store as Premchai flies to Bangladesh

better hunting there

There goes the chance to have a long-term qualified supervisor for the "Guns manufactured by inmates" program.

Edited March 9, 20188 yr by Lupatria

Joke

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

I suspect his flight will return as scheduled...minus one passenger however! 

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

This could very well be a watershed case for Thailand, where's the government and it's judgeriey and law enforcement departments will be put to the tests to see if the laws in this country is equal for all or not, and that for is good for the poor couple who went foraging for mushrooms in national reserve and got lengthy prison time will stand here also with this man... 

I thought there had been enough 'watershed' cases in the past...how many does it take?

18 hours ago, ramrod711 said:

Bangladesh? Surely he can afford Dubai.

This is a stop over on the way to Dubai

Go on piling more charges against Mr.Big and I do mean big in both his physical size and his enormous wealth and see if anything other than a slap on the wrist and heafty fine is going to happen.  Guys like Mr.Big are too big to prosecute other than for face saving.  He will not flee the country like three others that quickly come to mind.  Why should he??  Despite the nature of his crimes it's small potatoes, he knows it, those trying to prosecute him know it and in the end despite all the public outcry he will never see the inside of a Thai prison.

4 hours ago, mikebell said:

Thai police never seem to learn from previous cases where high profile rich offenders flee the country with their loot.

Yes  they do. The lesson they have learnt is let these people slip out of the country and its worth lots of money to you. This guy who is worth millions you think he got that being dumb. He will not be back. I dont think Bangladesh has an extradition agreement with Thailand. Have a great sir well done. You are free lol

4 hours ago, Hayduke said:

All smiles pockets feel heavy with money donated to us by Mr. Premchai's Big Thais smile for camera

If they keep leaving at this rate there won't be anymore rich people left in Thailand in a year or two and the country may then start to move forward !

2 hours ago, idman said:

Go on piling more charges against Mr.Big and I do mean big in both his physical size and his enormous wealth and see if anything other than a slap on the wrist and heafty fine is going to happen.  Guys like Mr.Big are too big to prosecute other than for face saving.  He will not flee the country like three others that quickly come to mind.  Why should he??  Despite the nature of his crimes it's small potatoes, he knows it, those trying to prosecute him know it and in the end despite all the public outcry he will never see the inside of a Thai prison.

You could be right but...I'm wondering if there are any others involved at a another level...I mean presumably he had some reason or market for what he was doing? Some of the pictures seem to suggest he was a 'hands on' poacher but if he was that rich why would he want to? I think there is a lot more to this than we'll ever know.

6 hours ago, yellowboat said:

At least the 1% will take this as a sign to behave.  I feel no end of glee seeing his name dragged through the mud.

I truly love the dreamers in this world. But the 1% will have no such inclination.

Just another attempt to distract attention from Mr. Prawitt's watches, THAI's corruption with the Rolls Roys engines, the police-station building scandal and GT-200 bomb-scanners......

Oh silly me......Those involved in those cases belong to 'the good people' and are in no way affiliated with Thaksin.....