White lion cub seized from illegal hotel in Chiang Mai

A Chinese national has been detained in Chiang Mai after authorities discovered a 2-3-month-old white lion cub allegedly being kept illegally at an unlicensed hotel. The raid, conducted by officers from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, local district officials, and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, took place on 18 September at a building on Charoensuk Road.

Residents had complained about loud roaring noises coming from the premises, leading to the search. Inside, officers found the white lion cub, which lacked a microchip and proper permits. The building had been converted into tourist accommodation, though it had not been approved for hotel registration. The woman, identified as Wang, was taken to the police station facing charges related to possessing protected wildlife without permission and operating a hotel without a licence. Authorities will also investigate the property's financiers and any Thai nationals involved.

Brief written by urgent.news from Khaosod English's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.