A video showing a chained lion cub seated in the back of a white open-top Bentley has gone viral. But police in Thailand have arrested a woman whose pet lion was pictured going on a joyride in the streets of Pattaya. The lion was being driven by a Sri Lankan man who has since left the country, and is believed to be a friend of the women, Sawangjit Kosoongnern. 

In Thailand it is not illegal to own a lion but it needs to be officially registered. Authorities in Thailand said Swangjit claimed to have bought the animal from a Thai man in Nakhon Pathom province,  who successfully facilitated its delivery to Pattaya. He officially failed to have his facility checked by officials before going so which made the transfer and ownership of the animal illegal.  She is now facing  charges of possessing a controlled wild animal without permission, which carries a penalty of a year’s imprisonment and a fine of unto 100, 000 baht ( $2800 /£2200).

The man who sod the lion to Sawangjit will also face charges of moving an animal without permission.  Police were also reportedly looking to charge the Sri Lankan man , who had kept the lion in his rented pool villa but were unable to as he is no longer in Thailand.

According to officials there are currently 224 lions in Thailand that a legally owned.