‘Many rich people’ poaching illegally despite better enforcement
The construction company tycoon arrested recently on charges of poaching in a wildlife sanctuary is not the only millionaire who enjoyed an “adventurous lifestyle” including hunting wild animals, a source in the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry said on Wednesday.
In the past few years, many groups of rich people have reportedly sneaked into protected forests – with the help of officials – and hunted wild animals.
However, the numbers had decreased as authorities intensified their enforcement of conservation laws, although some people still conducted illegal activities, the source said on condition of anonymity.
The source said groups of rich people preferred to hunt along the border in Kanchanaburi province and in Kangkrajarn National Park in Phetchburi province.
Some groups of hunters also posted photos of dead animals on their Facebook pages.
“Officials have made their best efforts to take legal action against [illegal hunters],” the source said.
Given the stricter regulations relating to wildlife sanctuaries, he could not believe that Italian-Thai Development company president Premchai Karnasuta and his group would dare to hunt in the area.
He added that the group had been granted permission to enter the wildlife sanctuary “to study the nature”.
One of Premchai’s friends reportedly asked a former high-ranking official in the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry to talk to a current senior official in the Natural Resources, Wildlife and Plants Ministry to facilitate the trip.
As the group were guests of senior officials, junior officials at the entrance of the wildlife sanctuary let their car enter the compound without it being searched.
The source added that when forest rangers raided an area near Premchai’s campsite early Monday after hearing gunshots, they found his subordinate before finding the company executive nearby.
Given those circumstances, the source said he believed it might be difficult to charge Premchai with hunting.