BANGKOK: A viral video clip of a foreigner cruising around Pattaya City in a luxury convertible with a lion cub sitting in the back seat has prompted officials to launch a probe.
The video was posted by facebook user Madamannudon on Tuesday (Jan 23), showing a foreigner driving his convertible Bentley with the lion cub wearing a chained collar sitting on the back seat.
The poster said the footage was captured in Soi Phratamnak 5 in Bang Lamung district of Chonburi province.
Pattaya tourist police said on Tuesday that the investigation, to be carried out in collaboration with immigration police and national park officials, aims to prove the legality of ownership of the exotic animal, as well as to ensure public safety.
The police said the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) will ask the foreigner for registration evidence of the animal under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which is a requirement for ownership of a lion.
A DNP official added that in Chonburi province, a total of 15 lions have been registered with the department, with owners including one zoo and 4 Thai individuals. He added that lions are a popular pet among wealthy Thais and foreigners, with a price tag of around 500,000 baht per animal.
Those who failed to report the ownership of CITES protected animals could be punished with a maximum of 1 year imprisonment and/or 100,000 baht fine. - The Nation/ANN
