Chinese tourist bitten by lion at Phuket café

The Tourist Assistance Center (TAC) inspected the lion-themed cafe in Chalong District on Aug. 11 after reports of the alleged incident spread on Chinese social media, Bangkok Post reported.

According to online posts, the tourist was bitten while taking part in a paid activity that allowed visitors to interact with the animals, Thaiger reported.

The café's staff reportedly treated the wound with antiseptic, while the tourist later paid for a rabies vaccination.

The staff confirmed that a Chinese visitor had been bitten by a lion during the Lunar New Year, several months before the inspection. They said the injury consisted of minor scratches and that first aid was provided at the scene, Thai Examiner reported.

Lions at a café in Phuket. Photo courtesy of Lion Cafe Phuket

The cafe owner identified the lion involved as a cub named Caesar and said all lions at the facility had been vaccinated. However, the business was unable to provide security footage of the incident because the recordings were no longer available.

Thai authorities said the inspection was conducted to verify the reports and evaluate safety measures for visitors interacting with the lions.

Authorities instructed the shop to closely monitor the animals, supervise all interactions and strictly follow safety procedures.

The cafe has a 3.1-star rating on Google. While some visitors praise the staff and the chance to interact with lions in a pet-like setting, others accuse the business of animal cruelty and have called for a boycott.

Lions are classified as controlled wildlife under Thailand's Wild Animal Conservation Law.