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.
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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.
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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).
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The man who sold the lion to Kosoongnern is also facing charges.