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 even channelled Ariel in a red wig and mermaid’s tail.
They were among dozens of four-legged film-goers that arrived in strollers on Saturday (Jun 10) for the opening of Thailand’s first pet-friendly cinema on the fringes of the capital.
The country’s pet industry is considered the second-biggest in Asia, behind China’s, 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 seeing all the fish on the screen.”
The animals had to wear diapers and sit in bags while the sound and lighting were adjusted for their comfort, Major Cineplex spokesman Narute Jiensnong said.
“Bangkok is not a very pet-friendly city,” Narute told AFP, adding that the concept was built on their child-friendly theatres.
Narute noted some pets acquired during the pandemic suffer separation anxiety now that owners are no longer working from home or in lockdown.
“In the kid cinemas, kids will be running around screaming or shouting … I think pet cinema will be the same. Everyone who comes will own a pet and be understanding (if dogs bark),” he said.
It is not the only business opening its doors to furry visitors.
Source: AFP
