The video posted in December recently gained traction and received mixed reactions online.
People often take their pets for a walk to give them the opportunity to stick their heads out of the car window and let the air blow through their fur, which onlookers find cute.
However, viewers did not find a woman's outing with her pet lion in Thailand amusing.
Thai police detained Sawangjit Kosoongnern after she was seen riding in a white Bentley convertible, with her pet lion while her Sri Lankan friend drove the vehicle.
The moment was filmed by a passerby, showing the lion with a chain around its neck as it sat in the back seat of the vehicle as it drove through central Pattaya.
The video, which was posted in December, recently gained attention and received mixed reactions, including shock and amusement online, it was reported. The times of the strait.
Although owning a lion in Thailand is not illegal, it must be properly registered, but Sawangjit reportedly purchased the lion illegally from someone in Nakhon Pathom province without following the necessary procedures.
He now faces charges of possessing a wild animal without a permit, which could lead to a year in prison and a fine of 100,000 baht, according to The nation.
The seller of the lion must also pay for transporting the animal without permission.
Meanwhile, the driver, who allegedly housed the puppy in his rented villa, has left the country and may face charges of taking a wild animal into public places, which carries a six-month jail sentence and a 50,000 baht fine.
Thailand currently has 224 legally owned lions. The videos raised concerns about animal cruelty and public safety.
