Tycoon Premchai Karnasuta and his driver Yong Dodkrua reported to Counter Corruption Division (CCD) police on Tuesday to acknowledge a charge of bribery in connection with their alleged poaching in Thungyai Naresuan wildlife sanctuary last month.
Wichian Chinnawong, head of the Kanchanaburi wildlife sanctuary and other rangers have provided CCD investigators with an audio recording of conversations with the two suspects deemed to constitute an attempt to bribe them.
An informed source said the investigators found the case against the two men to be convincing, which led to their being summonsed to answer the bribery charge.
Mr Premchai and Mr Yong appeared grim when they arrived at CCD headquarters on Wednesday morning with their lawyer. They refused to speak to reporters.
Mr Wichian, who led the team which arrested Mr Premchai and his three companions in the sanctuary on the night of Feb 4, accused the 63-year-old the president of Italian-Thai Development Plc of trying to bribe officials to let them go.
According to investigators, Mr Premchai offered to "give you anything you want" if they released him.
The four suspects have already been charged on nine counts relating to illegal hunting in the world heritage forest. They have denied all charges.
Mr Wichian’s team found them camped in a prohibited area and in possession of many wildlife carcasses, along with a black Indochinese leopard pelt. The leopard's meat and bones were also found in a stew pot.
A four-member team of prosecutors on Monday began examining the 857-page police investigation report, including witness statements and other evidence and will decide whether to take the case to court.
