Police on Sunday check all vihicles passing through the Phu Nam Roon checkpoint in Muang district in Kanchanaburi, the closest access to Dawei township in Myanmar. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)
The last time the public saw Premchai Karnasuta was on Feb 5, but police are confident the mega-rich Italian-Thai Development (ITD) president remains in the country.
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said on Monday there were no reports from the Immigration Bureau of Mr Premchai departing the country.
The construction tycoon was arrested, along with three companions, on the night of Feb 4 and charged on nine counts, mainly killing endangered species and firearms offences, in the western part of the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi.
All denied the allegations. Mr Premchai talked briefly with the media pack at the police station in Thong Pha Phum district in Kanchanaburi province on Feb 5, the last time he was seen in public.
The ITD boss and his party were released on Feb 6 on bail of 150,000 baht each by the Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court on condition they report to the court on Feb 17, the end of the first 12-day period of detention.
The bail conditions do not prohibit them leaving the country.
Pol Gen Srivara said Mr Premchai and his co-accused could see their bail bonds seized if they fail to appear at court.
Witoon Praiyeam, a lawyer for the ITD president, denied his boss had fled the country, saying he was inspecting work at the company’s construction sites, Spring News reported.
Among its numerous contracts, the listed company jointly invests in the Dawei deep-sea port and industrial project in southern Myanmar. The closest access to the Myanmar township and project site is through the Ban Pu Nam Roon checkpoint in Muang district of Kanchanaburi.
Security authorities at the checkpoint on Sunday said Mr Premchai and the other three accused had not crossed the border.
Kanchanaburi has 370 kilometres of land border with Myanmar, with 43 crossing points between the two countries.
