A woman has been arrested after cruising the streets of Pattaya with a friend in her Bentley convertible… and a pet Lion in the back seat.
The woman, who has been named as Sawangjit Kosoongnern, could face a fine of more than £2,000 and up to a year in prison for the crazy caper. She will be charged with keeping a controlled wild animal without permission.
It is believed her friend from Sri Lanka was actually driving the car, but she owns the luxury motor and the lion.
Bizarrely, it is not illegal to own a lion in Thailand, but the owner must have the correct permit for the animal. There are apparently an incredible 224 legally owned lions in Thailand. Kosoongnern’s lion was delivered by a man in Nakhon Pathom Province who did not have the correct paperwork, which means the transfer and her ownership of the lion is classed as illegal.
Locals were left gobsmacked as they watched the Bentley driving around the local streets with the huge cat perched on the back seat wearing a fluorescent collar.
Police are searching for Kosoongnern’s friend who is thought to have left the country to charge him with bringing a controlled wild animal into a public place. If convicted, the man faces up to six months in prison and a fine of up to £1,099 (THB 50,000).
The man who sold the lion to Kosoongnern is also facing charges.
