At Caffeine Spots, we celebrate Thailand’s vibrant cafe culture, but we also recognize the ethical concerns surrounding certain establishments. Recently, a Phuket lion cafe and a similar cafe in Bangkok’s Khlong Toei district have come under scrutiny after images of lion cubs inside cafes circulated on social media, sparking backlash from both tourists and animal welfare advocates.
One concerned visitor commented, “This is cruelty to animals. Lion cubs should be with their mothers and pride where they belong, not in a café.”
Authorities Investigate Phuket Lion Cafe
On February 12, 2024, officials from the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary, Tourist Police, and Phuket City Police inspected a cafe in Phuket where a lion cub was allegedly kept for a few hours daily as an attraction for tourists. The investigation led to Mr. Kai, a Chinese acquaintance of the café’s owner, being taken in for questioning.
According to Mr. Kai, the lion cub was bought in Bangkok 15 days earlier and was brought to the café daily before being taken back to the owner’s residence in Chalong District, Phuket. Authorities obtained a search warrant to investigate the legality of the lion’s transport and ownership, as lions are classified as a controlled species in Thailand.
On February 14, officials raided a hotel in Mueang Phuket District, where they found the lion cub being kept by its owner, a Chinese woman. She admitted to purchasing the cub in Bangkok for 250,000 baht on January 9, but the cub’s microchip did not match the registration number. Additionally, the location was deemed unsuitable for wildlife, leading to the seizure of the lion cub.
The woman was charged with violating the Wild Animal Preservation and Protection Act for failing to notify authorities of her possession of a wild animal and for moving it without the proper permits.
Similar Case in Bangkok’s Khlong Toei District
A lion cafe in Bangkok faced a similar investigation when a one-month-old female lion cub was discovered inside the establishment in Khlong Toei district.
On January 29, 2024, officers from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation conducted an inspection at the Bangkok lion cafe, where they found a receipt for the purchase of the lion cub from a foreign animal trading company and a document with a microchip number. However, the actual microchip was missing, and no legal documents proving ownership were provided.
After allowing 15 days for the café owner to submit the required legal documents, authorities discovered that the microchip number actually belonged to a different lion—a three-month-old male lion in Nakhon Pathom province, rather than the supposed one-month-old female cub at the café.
As a result, officials confiscated the lion cub and its cage, transferring it to the Wildlife Conservation Office for proper care. The Bangkok café owner was charged with violating the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act for failing to report the possession of a controlled wildlife species.
With coffee prices in Thailand rising from February 1, find out the reasons behind the increase and its impact on consumers in our detailed analysis on Coffee Prices in Thailand.
📌 Source: Khaosod English
Thailand’s coffee scene is thriving, with countless specialty cafes and passionate coffee enthusiasts fueling the industry’s growth. One of the best ways to experience this vibrant culture is by attending Thailand Coffee Fest 2025, where you can discover new roasters, learn from expert baristas, and enjoy exclusive coffee-tasting sessions. It’s a must-visit event for anyone looking to dive deeper into the world of specialty coffee.
Comments