Phuket police bust lion cafe owned by Chinese national who hired illegal workers


The cafe featured three lion cubs, which patrons could interact with and photograph for a fee. - Photos: Screengrabs from HIND.WS/TIKTOK

BANGKOK: Phuket police raided a cafe on Wednesday (Jan 22) that housed three lion cubs after it was discovered that the establishment was owned by a Chinese national who had hired illegal workers to run it.

During the raid at the Glass House Lion Cafe in Phuket’s Mueang district, Thai police arrested two Chinese staff members – a man and a woman identified as Binbin Chai, 42, and Choen Hong, 38.

Authorities said that the duo had entered Thailand on tourist visas and did not possess work permits.

They were taken to Mueang Police Station to face charges of working in the kingdom without a permit.

The cafe featured three lion cubs, which patrons could interact with and photograph for a fee.

Customers were charged 500 baht (S$20) for spending five minutes with the largest cub and 1,000 baht per five minutes for taking photos with each of the younger cubs.

Police said they are looking for the cafe owner to pursue legal action. - The Nation/ANN

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Aseanplus News

Vietnam's air passenger traffic hits record 83.5 million in 2025
S. Korean researchers find way to remove nanoplastics from water in 10 minutes
Sabah politician convicted for molesting Unduk Ngadau contestant
Flooding disrupts traffic, public transit in Greater Jakarta
Bride and groom among eight killed in gas cylinder blast at wedding in Pakistan’s capital
Singapore Airshow 2026: Expect road closures, changes to public transport from Jan 26 to Feb 12
Sri Lanka's tourism earnings rise only marginally in 2025 despite higher arrivals
Yoshine Music Festival 2026 to nurture, honour young Vietnam talent
Heavy snow strikes Japan, leading major airlines like ANA to cancel flights
Cricket - King Kohli leads the way as India beat New Zealand in the first ODI in Vadodara

Others Also Read