Chon Buri - The famous Russian conductor Mikhail Pletnev appeared in Pattaya Court yesterday to meet his bail requirement and denied the charge of raping a 14-year-old boy.
After being charged early this month, Pletnev, artistic director of the Russian National Orchestra and a part-time resident of Pattaya, was granted Bt300,000 bail and allowed to leave Thailand temporarily to attend a music festival in Macedonia.
He returned to Thailand over the weekend to report back to the Thai court every 12 days, as part of his bail requirements.
In a statement, Pletnev, 53, thanked the Thai court for allowing his temporary leave to Macedonia and said he would be in the country to appear in court in another 12 days.
After much speculation that he might jump bail, he said he hoped his return would make people accept that he was a man of honour and of his word.
"I have always stated that I will assist the police in every way I can with their inquiries into the allegations that have been made against me," Pletnev said in the statement.
"I say again, these allegations are not true," he said, adding that the police search at his Pattaya home did not find incriminating images on his computer or anything linking him to the allegation.
He also called on authorities and the press to refrain from speculating on his case until the police investigation had been competed and the case concluded by the court.
Case investigator Police Lieutenant Theerasak Aebfaeng said officers had interviewed the alleged victim and would continue interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence, so the case should be ready to file with the court soon.
If found guilty of raping a minor, Pletnev could face up to 20 years in jail.