Thailand opens its first pet-friendly cinema just outside of Bangkok

A fluffy white cat in a yellow dress perched on the top of a Bangkok cinema seat while, nearby, a Chihuahua in a Sebastian the Crab costume geared up to watch Disney’s The Little Mermaid with their owner.

One terrier channelled Ariel in a red wig and mermaid’s tail.

They were among dozens of four-legged filmgoers that arrived in strollers on Saturday for the opening of Thailand‘s first pet-friendly cinema on the outskirts of Bangkok.

The country’s pet industry is considered the biggest in Asia, behind China, with some 8.3 million dogs and 3.7 million cats in 2021, according to industry data.

Pet ownership grew further during the coronavirus pandemic, and now some businesses are trying to cash in.

Mano, 37, had brought his rescue cat, Kati, to the cinema.

“We take him to work sometimes … today is like an experiment,” he told AFP. “We are seeing The Little Mermaid. He will enjoy…