NAKHON PATHOM – The cases of 4 lions who have been made headlines this week, led to extend an investigation that found all of them came from the same lion farm.
Mr. Yongyut Suanthong, Deputy Governor of Nakhon Pathom Province, led officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, including police officers, to inspect Mr. Kitt Techanilobon’s managed wild animal breeding farm “Krapong See Lion Zoo” in Thanon Khat Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nakhon Pathom province.
According to inspection, this farm owned 28 lions. A veterinarian randomly examined the microchips of five lions and discovered that they were correct as described in their possession.
This farm provided lions to be the pets in three cases. The first is a female lion cub riding in a Bentley limousine down a busy street in Pattaya, driven by a Sri Lankan man and owned by Miss Pupe, or Sawangchit Kosungnoen, a Thai woman from Ratchaburi Province.
The owner was later charged on January 25 for illegally owning the lion, and Mr. Kitt, the farm owner, was accused with transporting lions from Nakhon Pathom to Chonburi without first notifying authorities.
In the second case, two male and female lions appear in a video briefly coming out of a residence in Huai Yai District, Chonburi Province. Later, the inspectors discovered that they came from Mr. Kitt’s farm as well.
On Friday, the national park officers seized a lion couple from their Thai owner’s house in Chonburi province’s Huay Yai district. The process had gone through negotiations, and the owner did not want her pets to be anaesthetized for transfer, which could be endanger their lives. She confirmed that the lions were not aggressive.
During the transport preparations, the owner, Ms. Charinyaporn Kaewsai, or Sky, 28, and her assistant were in tears because of their love and connection to the lions. The animals also appeared lost since they were separated from their owners. It took the officers approximately 15 minutes to load the truck. and head to the Bang Lamung Wildlife Breeding Centre (Khao Chi On), Chonburi Province.
Ms. Sky was subsequently charged with possessing a controlled wild animal, category A (lion), without informing the authorities.
The third case, announced on January 26, was Mr. Phumjai Tangsanga, also known as DJ Phum, a well-known figure in Thailand’s entertainment industry. He was playing with a lion cub named Leika, whom officials discovered was actually a lion from Mr. Kitt’s farm in Nakhon Pathom Province.
Mr. Mana Permpool, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Division Conservation Area Administration Office No. 3 (Ban Pong), reported the inspection results to the National Park Service. This lion belongs to Mr. Kitt, who reported it on January 8, 2024, and has been microchipped.
Mr. Kitt arrived to present proof requesting that the lion be moved on January 24, 2024, for a temporary display at Kon Hua Krua Company, Phaya Thai District, Bangkok, during January 24-26. This one has already been returned to Mr. Kitt’s farm on Friday.
Netizens strongly criticised all three examples of why wild animals should not be kept as pets., particularly breeding lions. Especially if the owner is punished, the lions had to be separated from their owners, which was painful.
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