Pattaya —
Police and park rangers raided a luxurious home in Pattaya on July 5th, 2024, and discovered two lions being kept at the residence by a Chinese couple.
The raid was conducted at a house in the Siam Royal View Village in the Nongprue sub-district, Banglamung district, Chonburi province. Acting on a tip from a concerned citizen, Police Region 2, Nongprue Police, and officials from the Department of Wildlife Parks and Plant Conservation obtained a search warrant from the Pattaya Provincial Court and raided the premises.
Upon entering the two-story residence, officers found a Chinese couple residing there along with two Thai housekeepers. Authorities searched the house and found three luxury vehicles parked on the property, including a red Ferrari and a white Rolls-Royce, both worth tens of millions of baht.
The most shocking discovery, however, was an area of the house transformed into an enclosure where two grown male lions were confined inside. Authorities immediately seized the controlled animals after the unidentified Chinese couple were reportedly unable to show the lions’ legal ownership permits to the authorities. Additionally, authorities also confiscated the luxury cars for verification of importation and tax documents.
Meanwhile, the two Chinese residents and their Thai housekeepers were taken to the Nongprue Police Station for questioning. The couple did not make a statement to the press during the raid.
Update as of 7:00 P.M. on July 5th:
Miss Yuhan Sun, a 35-year-old Chinese national, admitted to being the owner of the house. She now faces legal action for allegedly possessing wild animals without permission. This offense carries a penalty of up to 100,000 baht in fines or imprisonment for up to one year. She has been granted bail.
Mr. Anirut Kongsap, Miss Sun’s lawyer, clarified the situation to the Thai media. He stated that both cars had complete documentation for their vehicles. The Ferrari’s purchase was legitimate, and evidence of the Rolls-Royce’s sale was also provided, Anirut stated.
Regarding the lion cubs, the original owner, S (also Chinese), had left the house in the care of former Thai employees. These caretakers had raised the lions since they were young. When the new owner acquired the house, they agreed to continue caring for the lions until S’ return.
The Thai National Parks Department is currently checking the microchips of the two lions. It will take about a month to determine if these lions were legally acquired. Meanwhile, the park has advised the homeowner to ensure proper care for the lions during this process.
This is not the first case of lions in Pattaya. Although ownership of lions is legal in Thailand, it requires substantial licenses and permits and proper enclosures for the big cats.
Also in January, a foreign man made international news after going for a joyride in a rented luxury car in Pattaya with a lion cub, as we reported here.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
