Guest guest Posted January 17, 2004 Report Share Posted January 17, 2004 Plodprasop rejects claim, threatens suit Published on Jan 15, 2004 (The Nation) A senior bureaucrat yesterday threatened to file a Bt30-million lawsuit against an MP who allegedly defamed him by accusing him of approving the export of 100 tigers to China for personal gain. Plodprasop Suraswadi, permanent secretary of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, accused Thai Rak Thai MP Siri Wangboonkerd of manipulating the facts to tarnish his reputation. Siri has claimed that Plodprasop wrongfully approved the export of protected wildlife species to China for commercial purposes, and demanded a probe into the alleged wrongdoing. Plodprasop said Siri deliberately made the export look like a commercial transaction, when it was merely a research exchange between zoos in the two countries. He said Sri Racha Farm, the exporter of the tigers, had been authorised to operate a zoo and breed tigers since 1999. " It was clearly not a business transaction because the farm stated in the export documents that the tigers were sent to the Chinese zoo for research purposes and that the animals had no commercial value, " he said. The export of tigers for research purposes is allowed under the 1992 Wildlife Protection and Endangered Species Act, he said. Deputy Prime Minister Vishanu Krua-ngam yesterday said the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry would investigate the matter. He was responding to speculation that the ministry might have to seek a mandate from the PM's Office to probe its top bureaucrat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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