PATTAYA, Thailand – The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation is investigating a case where a lion was driven around Pattaya in a Bentley by a foreigner, an incident that went viral online.
On December 24, 2023, a joint inspection was conducted by Pattaya Tourist Police, Forest Police, Chonburi Provincial Police, Pattaya City Police, and officials from the Area Conservation Office 2 (Sri Racha) at a residence in Nongprue, east Pattaya. This house was reported to be sheltering the lion involved in the sightseeing tour.
The lion, a 9-month-old female weighing around 30 kilograms, is reportedly owned by a person who has applied for permission to possess and control a captive-bred type “A” wild animal at the Area Conservation Office 3 (Ban Pong) in Ratchaburi. The owner, identified as Miss Pupae (assumed name), is in the process of obtaining permission to house the lion at her residence.
The foreigner seen in the video, a 53-year-old Sri Lankan businessman, returned to his home country on January 22. Authorities are investigating potential violations of the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act, examining why the lion was taken on a city-wide sightseeing tour and whether the lion’s microchip matches the one specified in the permission granted.
Mr. Kongkiat Temtanasan, Director of the Area Conservation Office 2 (Sri Racha), stated that keeping lions is permissible if the owner holds the proper license, but there are strict conditions. The investigation will determine if the movement of this lion to Pattaya aligns with the granted permission or constitutes a violation. Violations fall under the Wildlife and National Parks Act, carrying a penalty of a 50,000 baht fine, six months imprisonment, or both.
