Tycoon Vikrom slams critics over accusation

“I will consider taking action to ensure I receive justice,” he said during his CEO Vision radio programme. 

Vikrom, who chairs the Amata Corporation and the Amata Foundation, lamented that society had lashed out at him over the allegation even after he had done a lot for the country, including donating money to bird conservation groups. 

“Why is society being so unfair to me?” he said. 

Vikrom is in hot water after he posted a photo of himself with a bird on Facebook. Conservationists quickly identified the bird as a hornbill and urged the Department of National Parks, Plants and Wildlife Conservation to investigate.

The Department quickly lodged a complaint with police, who subsequently found two hornbills at the estate of Vikrom’s brother Vitoon in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Khao Yai district. 

Vitoon has been charged. If convicted, he faces up to four years and/or a fine of up to Bt40,000. 

On June 13, Vikrom explained that the hornbill photographed with him was found injured at Vitoon’s plantation and Vitoon had nursed it back to health. He said the hornbill had not left the plantation even though it was neither caged nor chained. 

“The plantation is next to Khao Yai National Park. And many animals have waded into our zone because we don’t harm them. They can also find food in our areas,” Vikrom posted on Facebook earlier this month.