In Phuket, a wave of concern swept through the community as foreign visitors shared disturbing images of lion cubs residing in local cafes on social media platforms. Criticisms flooded in, with one comment decrying the situation as “cruelty to animals,” insisting that lion cubs should be amongst their mothers and prides, not confined within the confines of a café. This outcry prompted action on February 12, 2024, when Shinthep Kanghae, director of the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary, alongside Tourist Police and Phuket City Police Station officials, descended upon the café to investigate.
Upon arrival, authorities found the café bustling with tourists and engaged in discussions with Mr. Kai, a Chinese associate of the café owner. Mr. Kai’s involvement led to his subsequent summoning to Phuket City Police Station for questioning. During interrogation, Mr. Kai divulged details about the lion cub’s owner, a resident of Krabi province, who was expected to return to Phuket shortly. He disclosed that the cub had been procured in Bangkok just 15 days prior and was showcased at the café for 2-3 hours daily before being returned to its owner’s residence in Chalong District.
Efforts escalated as officers amassed evidence to obtain a search warrant for the Chalong residence, where the lion cub was housed. Their investigation extended to scrutinizing the legality of the lion’s presence and the acquisition of necessary permits for transportation, given that lions are classified as controlled species in Thailand.
However, developments unfolded on February 14 when police and wildlife officials raided a hotel room in Mueang Phuket District, uncovering the Chinese owner’s whereabouts. The woman confessed to purchasing the cub from Bangkok for 250,000 baht on January 9. Alarming discrepancies emerged as the integrated chip failed to match the registration number, and the location was deemed unsuitable for wildlife. Consequently, authorities seized the lion cub from her custody.
Legal ramifications ensued as police charged the owner with violations of the Wild Animal Preservation and Protection Act, citing negligence in notifying possession of wild animals and unauthorized transportation. This incident mirrored another episode in Bangkok’s Khlong Toei district, where a one-month-old female lion cub was seized from a café by officials from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
Mr. Naruporn Tipmontha, director of the Forest Fire Prevention and Control Department, shed light on the incident, recounting officials’ visit to the café on January 29, 2024. Despite discovering a receipt for the lion cub’s sale and a document with a microchip number, the absence of the microchip and official ownership documentation raised red flags. Subsequently, the lion cub was confiscated, and the café owner was given a grace period to produce requisite documents, which were never provided.
Further investigations revealed that the microchip number corresponded to a three-month-old male lion in Nakhon Pathom province, casting doubt on the cub’s age and gender as previously claimed. Consequently, charges were pressed against the café owner for violating the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, leading to the confiscation of the lion cub for relocation to the Wildlife Conservation Office for proper care and oversight.