In April 2014, rangers detained Pholachi ‘Billy’ Rakchongcharoen in Kaeng Krachan National Park, southwest of the capital of Bangkok, but he never appeared at a police station for processing and has not been seen since, reports state news agency NNT.
He had been working to protect the rights of members of his ethnic Karen community who had been evicted from the park.
A Bangkok court last Thursday (Sept 28) sentenced National Parks chief Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn to three years in jail for failing to properly charge Pholachi in 2014.
However, murder charges against Chaiwat and three other officials were dismissed.
In a statement now released, the court added that DNA tests of bone fragments discovered by investigators in a scorched oil drum dumped in the national park were not enough to prove the bones belonged to Pholachi.
It also said there was not enough evidence to determine that he was murdered.
Chaiwat was granted bail and plans to appeal the sentence.
See also:
Former park chief charged on six counts in ’Billy’ murder case