TikToker’s lion escapes from cage and attacks man and boy, 11

A Thai TikToker’s pet lion escaped and attacked an 11-year-old boy and a man who tried to help him.

The youngster, Arthit Nueangnu, reportedly suffered an injury to his left hip and scratches to his chest and arm in the attack, which happened in the central province of Kanchanaburi on Saturday.

Local media said the boy was walking down the road, on his way home from playing with other children, when the big cat pounced on him at around 11pm.

The man, 43-year-old Sarawut Tokaew, who attempted to help the youngster, was wounded on the leg. Both were taken to hospital.

Footage has been shared online of the one-year-old female lion, called Mahae Si, running down the road as people, including the boy, try to flee. Screams can be heard in the background.

Locals rushed to the home of its owner, TikTok influencer Parinya Parkpoom and pleaded with him to restrain the animal, reports Thai news site Thaiger.

Parinya is said to have run out of his house but stopped at the fence, appearing confused and unsure of how to respond.

His apparent hesitation is believed to have angered residents, who told him to control his pet and return her to her cage immediately.

Eventually he managed to retrieve the animal from a nearby field and took her back.

Officers from the Wildlife Conservation Office went to the house on Sunday, seized the lion and took her to their facility.

Parinya was charged under Section 15 of the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act for releasing or recklessly leaving wild animals under care.

If convicted he could be imprisoned for up to six months or face a fine of up to 50,000 baht, or both.

Parinya told local TV he was ‘shocked’ when he learned of the attack, saying the lion got loose after it was removed from its cage while it was being renovated.

‘I apologise for what happened, it was an accident,’ he said, adding that he will pay compensation and for the boy’s medical treatment.

In its statement, the wildlife department urged people who ‘keep wild animals to be aware of the potential dangers, as all animals have a ferocious instinct’.

‘Any unforeseen incident that affects the life and property of others will be punished and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,’ it added.

It is legal to own a lion in Thailand, where the captive population has risen steeply in recent years, with nearly 500 registered in zoos, breeding farms, petting cafes and homes.

In 2022 a law was brought in requiring owners to register and microchip lions, and inform authorities before moving them, but there are few enclosure or welfare requirements.

Last month, a zookeeper was mauled to death by several lions at a safari park on the outskirts of Bangkok, raising scrutiny of the facility, which offers lion- and tiger-feeding trips for about $40 per person.

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