Phuket café’s lion cub sparks police and wildlife officers manhunt
A lion cub, used as a tourist attraction at a café in Phuket, set off a manhunt by Thai police and wildlife officers. The cub was made available to the public for photographs at The Glass House Café and Space, located north of Phuket Town. This unusual situation ignited a wave of online controversy, primarily from individuals deeply concerned about the welfare of the young animal.
Leading the investigation was Chinthep Kanghae, the chief of the Khao Phra Thaew Non-Hunting Area in Thalang, the office charged with the protection of wildlife in Phuket. He was joined by Deputy Chief Police Lieutenant Boonphob Thinbut of the Phuket City Police, other city police officers, along representatives from the Phuket Tourist Police and Phuket Forestry Office.
During their visit to the café, the team encountered a Chinese national, known only as Khai. Claiming to be a friend of the café owner, Khai was brought in for questioning at the Phuket City Police Station regarding the lion cub.
Khai revealed to the officers that the cub was transported from Bangkok to Phuket, housed in Chalong for roughly 15 days, before being brought to the café. It was put on display for two to three hours daily and taken back to Chalong each night by its owner, whose identity remains unknown. Khai also mentioned that the cub’s owner was currently in Krabi but was due to return to Phuket soon, reported The Phuket News.
The investigating officers, after they met with Phuket City Police Chief Pol. Col. Prathueng Phonmana, disclosed their plan to collaborate with the Chalong Police Chief in acquiring a search warrant for the house where the cub was reported to be kept.
The investigation also extends to the legality of the cub’s transportation to Phuket. As Chinthep explained, the cub is yet to be found, leaving the legality of its transfer an open question. He added that, under the Wild Animal Conservation and Protection Act of 2019, lions are classified as controlled animals that require appropriate permission for possession and must be housed only in registered places of possession.
Legal proceedings
There has been no evidence so far to confirm legal ownership of the cub or that its transportation to Phuket was lawfully conducted. Chinthep pointed out that lions, typically traded on farms, must have a movement permit and official notification should be made when transporting the animal.
Chinthep concluded the briefing by stating that while the café had been inspected, no lion cubs had been found. The café owner has been contacted to present the cub and relevant documents to the authorities, and collaboration with local police is underway to issue a summons for further information.
