The Office of Public Prosecution or a higher authority must correct or justify the error it made last week. The Region 7 office has startled and disappointed the public over the killing of the black leopard and other protected species at Thungyai-Naresuan sanctuary in February.
After a credible and somewhat timely investigation of that dreadful violation of conservation laws and decency, police proposed an 11-count indictment against the alleged leader of the hunting group. Prosecutors shockingly dropped five of the 11 charges against Premchai Karnasuta, head of the international conglomerate, Italian-Thai Development.
The announcement by Region 7's chief of prosecutions, Somsri Watanapaisal, caused a major burst of outrage. The public has been following the case closely since the Feb 4 arrest of Mr Premchai and his three companions inside the sanctuary. The series of announcements that the protected black leopard had been killed and then had been eaten by the four men sparked a barrage of fury.
