Tycoon Premchai awaits 9am bribery verdict

[snoop1130]

Tycoon Premchai awaits 9am bribery verdict

By THE NATION

 

File photo

 

A COURT will on Tuesday rule on the bribery allegation against Thailand’s construction tycoon Premchai Karnasutra, who has drawn intense negative publicity for allegedly hunting a black leopard.

 

Premchai and his close aide Yong Dodkhruea were accused of trying to bribe officials during their arrest at the Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi province early last year.

 

The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 7 is scheduled to read its verdict on the case at 9am. 

 

This case is linked with the poaching case in which Premchai and several accomplices, including Yong, were sent to jail earlier this year.

 

On March 20, a court convicted Premchai – the powerful and well-connected president of the Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited – of three crimes. He was given six months for carrying firearms in public without permission, eight months for “aiding others in hunting for game in a wildlife sanctuary without permission” and two months for possessing the carcass of a protected species – a Kalij pheasant – without permission.

 

Yong was jailed for 13 months for carrying a weapon without permission and illegally possessing the carcass of a black leopard.

 

Two other defendants, both of whom worked for Premchai, were also convicted of related crimes. 

 

Premchai’s driver Thanee Thummart was sentenced to two years and 17 months in prison for several offences, including the unauthorised possession of a black leopard’s carcass and for hunting inside a wildlife sanctuary. 

 

Premchai’s cook Natee Riemsan received a suspended four-month jail term and was fined Bt10,000 for illegally possessing the leopard carcass. The Thong Pha Phum court also ordered Premchai and Thanee to pay Bt2 million plus 7.5 per cent annual interest in compensation to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, which oversees the Thung Yai Naresuan wildlife sanctuary where Premchai’s group was arrested.

 

Premchai, Yong and Thanee are now out on bail. 

 

On May 24, the Department of Appellate Litigation Region 7 appealed against the court’s decision, as it believed the defendant should have been punished for other related offences too. 

 

For example, it believed Premchai should have been convicted of having the carcass of the black leopard in his possession too – reflecting that he was engaged in several hunting activities – not just those related to the Kalij pheasant.

 

It also believed the compensation amount should have been Bt3.01 million. 

 

“Aside, we believe Premchai should have received the punishments as the mastermind,” Sunthorn Surawattanawong said in his capacity as the director general of the office. 

 

Sunthorn said the masterminds of criminal activities usually normally receive harsher penalties than their collaborators, who often receive just two thirds of their punishment. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30370848

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-06-10

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[cornishcarlos]

About as much chance of him spending time behind bars, as the Democrats getting the generals to stick to their promises !!

[sammieuk1]

The panther has a dead friend and accepted the bung claiming it was suicide all along and the African elephants donated the house full of tusks claiming they can just grow some more case closed it was all a misunderstanding that can easily be sorted out with a simple how much ????

[MRToMRT]

I hope they slam it to him. 

[worgeordie]

It will be put down to a misunderstanding,an honest mistake.

how was he not charged with having the black leopard skin,

and he was the leader,others just following orders,just another 

result of the two tier justice system.

regards worgeordie

[greeneking]

3 hours ago, MRToMRT said:

I hope they slam it to him. 

Of course. We all do.

But the charge is that they 'were accused of trying to bribe officials.'

If this one could be seen as the new norm for the new 'government' it would be groundbreaking.

Not holding my breath.

[hotchilli]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Sunthorn said the masterminds of criminal activities usually normally receive harsher penalties than their collaborators, who often receive just two thirds of their punishment. 

Normally yes, but in this case the size of the "masterminds" arse pocket is rather large and thus gets special treatment... all the collaborators get hammered while he gets let off lightly!

[SABloke]

12 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

About as much chance of him spending time behind bars, as the Democrats getting the generals to stick to their promises !!

...or the Democrats sticking to their own promises. ????

[Hogs]

12 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

About as much chance of him spending time behind bars, as the Democrats getting the generals to stick to their promises !!

I guess reading is no your strong point since it clearly says he has been released from Jail from his earlier sentences 

[cornishcarlos]

5 minutes ago, Hogs said:

I guess reading is no your strong point since it clearly says he has been released from Jail from his earlier sentences 

 

Nowt wrong with my reading skills cobber, he's due to hear the court verdict on the bribery charge. It was this that I was referring to....

The other cases are on appeal...

[Baerboxer]

10 hours ago, worgeordie said:

It will be put down to a misunderstanding,an honest mistake.

how was he not charged with having the black leopard skin,

and he was the leader,others just following orders,just another 

result of the two tier justice system.

regards worgeordie

 

No, no, no! Farang not understand.

 

He went for a restful break in the country and took along his private chef and private driver, as one does.

 

Clearly those two minions got up to these tricks behind the boss's back. You just can't get the staff these days! 

[yokat]

Is the bribery verdict the official step of the process where envelops are handed ?

[stanleycoin]

Wonder if he got one of these in the post today. 

 

 

[fullcave]

Can't he just bribe them to drop the bribery charges or am I missing something? 

[manchega]

he is related to an old elephant family for one thing, I don't think anything will stick but he may well not be in a public facing roll anymore, but none of that family actually needs to work.

[Skeptic7]

Was hoping for harsher sentencing, but a pipe dream when it's a rich Thai in Thailand. Surprised this even made it without the bribes being accepted. He'll skate with a wrist slap. Sux but true. 

[klauskunkel]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“Aside, we believe Premchai should have received the punishments as the mastermind,”

failing that, he should have gotten it for being the masterbelly of the hunting trip.

"Judge, I just was so goddamn hungry!"

[Thingamabob]

Courts/police just love this kind of case. Massive bungs all round. Very sorry for the beautiful animal. So sad you were caught by this scum.