Animal rights advocates increase pressure on authorities to hold the president of one of Thailand’s largest construction companies accountable for hunting and killing protected animals, including a black panther, in a wildlife sanctuary.
As reported by WAN early last month, 63-year-old Premchai Karnasuta of Italian-Thai Development was at The Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary which is listed as a World Heritage Site by the UN cultural agency Unesco.
Rangers discovered Karnasuta and three others claiming to be tourists at a make-shift camp in a restricted area along with the skin and carcasses of several animals.
The Bangkok Post reported at the time that the four suspects were charged with unauthorized hunting, unauthorized hunting in a wildlife sanctuary, unauthorized possession of wildlife carcasses, illegally bringing hunting tools into a wildlife sanctuary, unauthorized collection of forest products, and illegal possession of firearms.
Today, animal advocates including members of the Facebook group, A Call for Animal Rights Thailand, gathered near the Italian-Thai Development headquarters to prompt police to take action against the perpetrators, regardless of their wealth or status.
As per The Nation, the dramatic event featured artists painting graffiti and an image of a black leopard on empty walls along with messages such as “Justice For Wildlife.”
