Police in Thailand have apprehended a woman, Sawangjit Kosoongnern, whose pet lion was captured on video taking a joyride through the streets of Pattaya in the back of a white, open-top Bentley. The lion, reportedly owned by a Sri Lankan man who has left the country, was not officially registered, though owning a lion in Thailand is not illegal as long as it is registered.
Ms. Sawangjit claimed to have purchased the lion from a Thai man in Nakhon Pathom province, who, unfortunately, did not have the facility checked by authorities before delivering the animal to Pattaya. Consequently, the transfer and ownership became illegal. Ms. Sawangjit now faces charges of possessing a controlled wild animal without permission, carrying a potential penalty of one year’s imprisonment and a fine of up to 100,000 baht ($2,800; £2,200).
Authorities were also seeking to charge the Sri Lankan man, who kept the lion in his rented pool villa, with bringing a controlled wild animal into public places. However, as he has left Thailand, the charges remain pending. This offense carries a potential jail time of up to six months and a fine of 50,000 baht.
The individual who sold the lion to Ms. Sawangjit will also be charged with moving an animal without permission. Notably, there are currently 224 legally owned lions in Thailand, according to officials. Source: BBC
