Prosecutor confident of conviction as Premchai poaching case hearing resumes

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

 

THE PUBLIC prosecutor’s office is confident that corporate chief Premchai Karnasuta and his alleged accomplices will be found guilty in the black panther poaching case, as the Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court begins examining the evidence and witnesses today after weeks of delays.

 

The attorney for the Office of the Public Prosecution Region 7, Somjet Amnuaysawat, yesterday said that the Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court would today begin interrogating witnesses and examining the evidence in the black panther poaching case against Italian-Thai Development president Premchai and his three associates. He said the prosecutors and plaintiffs were certain that the evidence was strong enough to ensure conviction of the defendants.

 

In February, Premchai and three other persons – Yong Dodkrua, Thanee Thummat and Nathee Riamsaen – allegedly entered Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi province. Forest rangers found that they had illegally poached many wild animals, including a black leopard, a Kalij pheasant, and a barking deer inside the protected wildlife reserve, leading to their arrest on site.

 

Premchai and his companions were initially charged with nine crimes by the police investigation team, but later the charges were reduced to six for Premchai, seven for Yong, eight for Thanee and five for Nathee. 

 

According to earlier reports, Yong was Premchai’s personal driver, Thanee was a restaurant owner in Bangkok, while Nathee was a cook for the team of poachers.

 

Somjet said the court hearing of the witnesses was an important step forward in this poaching case, after the legal process was stalled for several months due to the legal tactics of the defence.

 

‘Delaying tactics’

 

“The court would have begun looking at the evidence and hearing the witnesses in June, but the defendants’ side sought transfer of the case to the Corruption and Misconduct Court. The Appeal Court took around two months to rule on the plea before deciding in August that the case should be heard by the Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court,” he said.

 

“This was clearly a tactic by the defendants to prolong the legal process in order to buy more time. But we are confident that in the end they will not be able to escape the law and punishment.”

 

 

Somjet said that under normal circumstances, the witness interrogation process would take around one month with the last witness expected to testify by the end of December. The court can then consider evidence from all sides and deliver the verdict by mid-January.

 

However, he said that this was just the beginning of the first round of the court process and it was very likely that the defendants, if ruled guilty, would petition a review by the Appeal Court and then move onwards to the Supreme Court. So, it would still be a long court battle ahead until the final word is heard.

 

“Many people may wonder why the litigation in this case is taking so long, when many other illegal poaching cases are very swiftly prosecuted. This is because the defendants in those cases quickly confessed to their crimes, so their cases were much simpler than this one,” he explained. He urged the public to keep their eyes on this case.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30359344

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-27

He needs locked-up for his dress sense alone  . . . .  ????

A beautyful pie chart...

Convictions mean nothing: Everyone and his uncle gets convicted in Thailand. It's the SENTENCING after the convictions where the system gets shown to be a farce. ????

3 hours ago, webfact said:

THE PUBLIC prosecutor’s office is confident that corporate chief Premchai Karnasuta and his alleged accomplices will be found guilty

photo shows the primary alleged smirking and likely about to laugh at the thai justice system

The above photo must be an old 1, no walking stick being used.

On the day of the hearing, it will be used for dramatic effect, wasnt me your honour as i am so unsteady on my feet, i am unable to even hold a gun, let alone use 1.

By the time the court case and all the appeals are heard he will be too old and sick for detention and spared, as the Chonburi Godfather has been, of prison.

Straight out of the blocks again.

A country hungry for international recognition,  is quite likely going to ignore the work of the internationally praised Ranger who believes in the conservation of wildlife.

Who's job is it to bring the damming evidence of the turd left in the jungle to court exhibit 1a melud????

Would someone be be booking a one way trip to Dubai or similar destination soon i wonder?...

Five years down the line he'll get 500 fine on each charge.

One month to hear from witnesses?  What witnesses?

How is it possible that the lowly cook, who was probably just following orders, has more charges against him than his boss??

 

Anyhow I think a decision has already been made on the verdict here otherwise the boss would have already signed in with the others at the Thai Untouchables Expat Club in England.

3 hours ago, CelticBhoy said:

He needs locked-up for his dress sense alone  . . . .  ????

That's what you look like if mum refused to help the boy to get dressed as punishment for killing the cat.

1 hour ago, ThaiFelix said:

How is it possible that the lowly cook, who was probably just following orders, has more charges against him than his boss??

The answer is in the chart pictured in black.

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah!   Same as it always was and will be for the forseeable future.  TIT

His corpulence is a perfect visual representation of the word gross. 

This guy is seriously rich yet he doesnt appear to have any buttons on his trousers?

His tie is stuck under his belt.  lol

I think he's just had a doozey in the- hong narm-  and looks a bit flustered .

He allegedly bought a whole lot of expensive leather shoes for the cops after he was arrested.

 

He cant possibly go to prison. He's seriously wealthy. If he gets a jail sentence he will appeal immediately and go home for dinner.

If not, just buy the prison and demolish it . It could be  sitting on private land same as many police stations.

A stiff fine, of course, would be more than sufficient. 

The reason this hasn't been made to disappear completely is due to the dogged tenacity of Thais on social media who have latched on to this case like a pit bull.  Everyone knows that average Thais would have been prosecuted and in jail by now.  The wealthy CEO Premchai has money and power though connections that he can wield.  And should he be found guilty, he no doubt will be given enough time to pack up and flee the country in order to run his business from less hostile climes. 

15 years for picking mushrooms for the poor. Just happy thoughts comparing how many years weathy Premchai will spend in jail for poaching. Probably short suspended jail time. 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He said the prosecutors and plaintiffs were certain that the evidence was strong enough to ensure conviction of the defendants.

We also know the judge very well.

11 minutes ago, 300sd said:

We also know the judge very well.

Would that be the 'lunch box' judge?

I try my best to believe.

31 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

15 years for picking mushrooms for the poor. 

They were never accused or convicted of picking mushrooms. Don't believe the sensational headlines.

 

So, in the meantime, he will be getting Billions of Baht worth of contracts. After he is found guilty, he will be laughing all the way to the bank, then pay his 500 Baht fine!

5 hours ago, CelticBhoy said:

He needs locked-up for his dress sense alone  . . . .  ????

There's something wrong with a dark suit, white shirt and blue tie?

boss redbull not interesting for the nation anymore?

do these guys not have big money?

Odds are a settlement will be made where he donates money to various charities and maybe the national parks. Also "donations" to various individuals.

The Mrs used to work as a manager in one of their hotel groups. She have seen various politicians on all sides trooping into the hotels. Even during the war in Bangkok.