In this Feb. 4, 2018, photo released by the Thailand Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the president of Thailand’s largest construction company Premchai Karnasuta, 63, left, is seen with others in his group as are detained in the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, in Kanchanburi province on Thailand’s western border. Premchai, president of Italian-Thai Development, has been arrested for trespassing and hunting protected animals on a camping trip at a wildlife sanctuary where guns and animal carcasses were discovered.

In this Feb. 4, 2018, photo released by the Thailand Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the president of Thailand’s largest construction company Premchai Karnasuta, 63, left, is seen with others in his group as are detained in the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, in Kanchanburi province on Thailand’s western border. Premchai, president of Italian-Thai Development, has been arrested for trespassing and hunting protected animals on a camping trip at a wildlife sanctuary where guns and animal carcasses were discovered. Thailand Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation via AP)

In this Feb. 4, 2018, photo released by the Thailand Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the president of Thailand’s largest construction company Premchai Karnasuta, 63, left, is seen with others in his group as are detained in the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, in Kanchanburi province on Thailand’s western border. Premchai, president of Italian-Thai Development, has been arrested for trespassing and hunting protected animals on a camping trip at a wildlife sanctuary where guns and animal carcasses were discovered. Thailand Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation via AP)

Thai construction magnate arrested for hunting in sanctuary

The Associated Press

BANGKOK

Officials say the head of one of Thailand's largest construction companies has been arrested for hunting protected animals in a wildlife sanctuary and was found with the skin of a black panther and other animals.

Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation announced that Premchai Karnasuta was arrested Sunday with three others after park officials were informed they had set up camp in a restricted wildlife sanctuary on Thailand's western border.

Premchai is president of Italian-Thai Development.

Tuesday's statement said national park rangers found guns and the carcasses of a black panther, a Kalij pheasant and a barking deer in their possession. The rangers filed charges of hunting protected animals and violating gun laws.

Police said Premchai has denied the charges.