‘No responsibility’: Thai woman faces jail after friend takes her pet lion cub out for a drive in a Bentley
- Sawangjit Kosoongnern was allowed to keep the wild cat but did not receive the green light to take the animal out in public
- She faces a prison term of up to six months and/or a maximum fine of some US$1,400

A Thai owner of a pet lion cub could face jail after a viral video of her friend driving around Pattaya in a convertible Bentley, with the big cat wearing a chained collar sitting in the back seat, sparked accusations of animal cruelty and endangering public safety.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said Sawangjit Kosoongnern was legally allowed to keep the lion in Ratchaburi province, west of Bangkok.
She had sought permission to transfer the pet to the tourist hotspot in Chonburi province, but did not receive the approval yet.
“Therefore, Sawangjit did violate laws concerning the taking of a wild animal out in public and moving its location without prior permission,” said Atthaphon Charoenchansa, the department’s chief.
She could face a prison term of up to six months and/or a maximum fine of 50,000 baht (US$1,400), he added.