Lion Cub Spotted In A Bentley In Thailand, Owner To Be Fined

A Thai woman is on the radar of authorities after her friend was spotted ferrying her pet lion cub on the streets of Pattaya in an open-roof Bentley. A video of this excursion went viral across social media. Many people called out the pet owner for endangering the lives of others and also criticised keeping wild animals as pets. The South China Morning Post reported that the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation in Thailand zeroed in on the lion cub’s owner, a woman named Sawangjit Kosoongnern, based on the video. Sawangjit was legally allowed to keep the lion in Ratchaburi province.

She had reportedly sought permission to transfer the pet to the Chonburi province but did not receive the approval yet. “Therefore, Sawangjit did violate laws concerning the taking of a wild animal out in public and moving its location without prior permission,” said Atthaphon Charoenchansa, the department’s chief. The person driving the convertible car is Sawangjit’s friend from India. Sawangjit can face a prison term of up to six months and/or a maximum fine of 50,000 baht, approximately Rs 1 lakh.

In Thailand owning big cats like lions is legal, but the pet owners need to register their pets under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

This is not the first time that pet wild animals have been seen in public places in Thailand. The South China Morning Post reported in March 2023, a Chinese national reportedly left a lion cub on the loose in a housing estate in Pattaya, raising concerns about the safety of locals.

A few weeks ago in December, a video from Pakistan that showed a lion cub sitting in the backseat of a car went viral. This clip was taken at a red light by a wedding photographer. This clip has gathered over 21 lakh likes since it was posted on December 23. However, in the comments, many people noted that the domestication of wild animals is not good for their well-being.

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An Instagram user wrote, “It’s so sad, people for their fun take away the natural life of animals, he is supposed to be free in the wild not be a pet.” The domestication of wild animals in confined urban areas promotes unethical wildlife trade and also poses a danger to their owners.