Roaring Lion Terrifies Residents and Tourists in Pattaya

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Khoasod.

 

Residents and tourists in Pattaya endured a sleepless night after a lion’s deafening roars echoed through their neighbourhood for hours. Fearing for their safety, concerned locals alerted police, only to discover that the source of the commotion was a foreigner’s pet lion, previously seen being driven around the city in a convertible.

 

The incident took place in Soi Phratamnak, Pattaya, where people living between Soi 5 and 6 reported loud, unsettling roars throughout the night. Officers from Pattaya City Police Station responded to the complaints, expecting to find a noisy party or loudspeakers, but were instead confronted with the unmistakable sound of a lion.

 

Upon investigation, police determined that the two-year-old lion was being kept inside a private residence. The repeated roaring had caused widespread fear and discomfort among both locals and visitors staying in nearby accommodations.

 

Attempts to contact the homeowner or tenant were unsuccessful, leading police to escalate the matter to their superiors. Authorities are now working on possible solutions in coordination with relevant agencies.

 

 

The same property had previously been the focus of an investigation by both police and the Department of National Parks, after a foreign man made headlines for taking the lion on a joyride through central Pattaya in a luxury sports car.

 

For now, the lion remains inside the house, with the gates firmly shut, as officials determine the next steps to address the situation.

 

-- 2025-02-09

 

 

[Geoffggi]

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

For now, the lion remains inside the house, with the gates firmly shut, as officials determine the next steps to address the situation.

 

The obvious solution is for the animal to be correctly taken care of at a suitable wildlife establishment as a lion is not a house pet & should not be treated as such.

[Briggsy]

Chinese or Russian? My money is on Chinese through a Thai proxy.

[thesetat]

People complain because of the roaring. Why aren't the police called for all the soi dogs barking? They do it nightly and are much louder than one lion. Surely,the neighbors are aware of the lions presence so I doubt anyone was scared hearing it roar. 

49 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

 

The obvious solution is for the animal to be correctly taken care of at a suitable wildlife establishment as a lion is not a house pet & should not be treated as such.

I would bet this man takes care of this lion a lot better than any Thai zoo. At least it is not being drugged and put on display for tourist photo shoots. 

Or killed to sell body parts to Chinese

[mikebell]

The dogs were louder than the lion.

[Mr Meeseeks]

Third-World behaviour exposed.

[hotsun]

Whats mike tyson doing in thailand? Who keeps a pet lion honestly

[HappyExpat57]

1 hour ago, thesetat said:

People complain because of the roaring. Why aren't the police called for all the soi dogs barking? They do it nightly and are much louder than one lion. Surely,the neighbors are aware of the lions presence so I doubt anyone was scared hearing it roar. 

I would bet this man takes care of this lion a lot better than any Thai zoo. At least it is not being drugged and put on display for tourist photo shoots. 

Or killed to sell body parts to Chinese

I honestly think they're just used to soi dogs making a racket. I lived in Puerto Rico for a few years, they had roosters doing the same. And THEM muthahs don't just do their crowing at sunrise, they go 24 x 7.

[petermik]

Nutcase owner methinks........

[Emdog]

any "gentleman's clubs" nearby? Lion all the time there I hear...

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
Police Inspect House After Complaints of Roaring Lion in Pattaya

 

Picture courtesy of SiamChon.

 

Residents of Soi 5-6 Pratumnak, reported persistent loud roaring throughout the night, causing fear and sleep disturbances. In response, Pol. Lt. Col. Piyapong Ensan, chief inspector of Tourist Police Division 4, led officers to investigate the property, with a follow up visit.

 

Police then found that the Russian owner possessed the necessary legal documents but instructed him to control the noise levels to avoid disturbing the neighbourhood.

 

During the inspection, police identified the owner as Mr Vaikunda Nadar Thivakaran, a 54-year-old Russian national. He presented legal documents proving his authorised ownership and permission to keep the lion.

 

When questioned, Mr Thivakaran explained that the lion’s roaring was triggered by local residents occasionally throwing objects into the property, causing the animal to become stressed. This, in turn, led to the frequent loud noises that alarmed the community.

 

Police issued a formal warning and instructed the owner to take measures to minimise the noise and ensure the lion does not disturb the neighbourhood. They also advised him to improve security to prevent further incidents.

 

-- 2025-02-09

 

[actonion]

3 hours ago, hotsun said:

Whats mike tyson doing in thailand? Who keeps a pet lion honestly

Arabs usually

[Briggsy]

Aaaahh, I was wrong. Russian. Damn.

[Seppius]

I thought the guy that drove around in the Bentley convertible with lion was Sri Lankan, maybe he sold the loin to a Russian?

[mran66]

Can only hope that the lion eats the owner. Solution to fix the issue permanently without public danger. 

[blaze master]

7 hours ago, thesetat said:

At least it is not being drugged and put on display for tourist photo shoots. 

 

Roar !!

[smedly]

how is this allowed in Thailand ?

[Georgealbert]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

how is this allowed in Thailand ?

Yes, you can have a lion as a pet in Thailand
 

 

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

Yes, you can have a lion as a pet in Thailand
 

 

But, the poster questioned how it can be legal, not that it is.

[jacko45k]

23 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Chinese or Russian? My money is on Chinese through a Thai proxy.

By the name of Sawangjit Kosoongnern if the same Bentley riding lioness we saw a year ago. 

[Briggsy]

34 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

By the name of Sawangjit Kosoongnern if the same Bentley riding lioness we saw a year ago. 

Yes, it turned out it was a Russian but it was the same as the car being driven around Pattaya that you referenced.

 

I loved the picture of the police raid from outside the compound!

[hotchilli]

On 2/9/2025 at 6:01 AM, Geoffggi said:

 

The obvious solution is for the animal to be correctly taken care of at a suitable wildlife establishment as a lion is not a house pet & should not be treated as such.

There you have it... a lion is not a pet, regardless of how much money you have.

[Ben Zioner]

On 2/9/2025 at 6:01 AM, Geoffggi said:

 

The obvious solution is for the animal to be correctly taken care of at a suitable wildlife establishment as a lion is not a house pet & should not be treated as such.

Just imagine thesize of the litter..

[Moonlover]

19 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

When questioned, Mr Thivakaran explained that the lion’s roaring was triggered by local residents occasionally throwing objects into the property, causing the animal to become stressed.

What? The occasional thrown object causes the lion to roar all night!

 

More likely the poor creature is pining for freedom and the company of its pride.

[Ben Zioner]

On 2/9/2025 at 4:28 AM, Georgealbert said:

a lion’s deafening roars

He must be in his forties.

[newnative]

    Newnative here,  Reporting in that I slept ok and was not 'terrified'.   As others have said, some of our neighborhood dogs are likely louder.  

[jippytum]

Animal lovers and local residents would take some convincing this wealthy Chineese  was allowed to keep a dangerous wild animal as a showthing in a residential area without bribing the local authorities to obtain a permit. 

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

What? The occasional thrown object causes the lion to roar all night!

 

More likely the poor creature is pining for freedom and the company of its pride.

Perhaps if the object was a live chicken or piglet?

[Moonlover]

On 2/9/2025 at 7:11 AM, mikebell said:

The dogs were louder than the lion.

It's a bit difficult to pin a restraining order on a soi dog though isn't it.

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Yes, it turned out it was a Russian but it was the same as the car being driven around Pattaya that you referenced.

 

I loved the picture of the police raid from outside the compound!

Nowhere did I read that the police had raided the compound.

[Captain Flack]

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