Officials from the Protected Area Regional Office 16, under the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, inspected a lion cafe on Chang Klan Road after Chinese media reported that a Chinese tourist visiting Chiang Mai had been bitten on the face by a lion cub, with the venue paying compensation of 4,000 baht. The story went viral on Chinese social media before reaching local attention.
The inspection found the cafe to hold the correct permits and had clear signage outlining rules of conduct, but told media that it was found that the tourist involved had not followed those rules.
Officials confirmed the incident took place on Friday 28th August. Four Chinese tourists were using the cafe’s photo service with the lion cubs at around 1.20pm. The group washed and disinfected their hands and were briefed on the rules by staff before entering. One male tourist later entered the display room and, against house rules, handled and picked up one of the cubs directly. When he brought his face close to the animal, it suddenly bit him, leaving two puncture marks. Staff removed him for first aid and cleaned the wound. The tourist then asked to return for further photos before staff, noting the lion had been vaccinated, accompanied him to Chiang Mai Central Memorial Hospital for wound treatment and tetanus and rabies vaccinations. The cafe refunded the full package cost and paid an additional 4,000 baht in compensation.
Officials issued the operator three formal directives following the inspection:
- Stricter enforcement of entry and exit procedures for the display area, with a warning that continued non-compliance could lead to legal action
- A written warning for failing to report the biting incident to authorities within the required 24-hour window, or via the Forest Protection hotline 1362
- A strict prohibition on tourists or outsiders directly touching or holding the lions or lion cubs, to protect both public safety and animal welfare
Lion World Cafe allows customers to dine at standard menu prices while viewing the cubs at no extra charge, with an additional fee for those who wish to enter the display area for photos or interaction. Entry to that area is supervised by staff. The operator insisted that it had previously sought community consent and safety approval before opening.
