TAK: Police arrested a hunter with the meat of a civet he just killed in a national park in Phop Phra district Monday.
A native of Phop Phra, Tuser Saesong, 63, was arrested while roasting a banded palm civet in the Nam Tok Pha Charoen National Park. Police spotted him while destroying an opium poppy plantation there.
Police also seized from Mr Tuser a locally made long-barrel gun, three bottles of lead bullets, a bottle of gunpowder and 400g of civet meat.
Police quoted Mr Tuser saying he hunted the civet just for food and that he did not sell the meat.
A civet, or Prionodon pardicolor, is an animal of protected species. Hunting or having it in possession is punishable by not more than three years in jail and/or a fine not exceeding 30,000 baht.
