A white cat in a yellow dress sat on a cinema seat in Bangkok, while nearby a Chihuahua dressed as Sebastian the Crab prepared to watch Disney’s The Little Mermaid with its owner.
A terrier even embodied Ariel with a red wig and mermaid tail.
They were among dozens of four-legged moviegoers who arrived in strollers for the opening of Thailand’s first pet-friendly cinema on the outskirts of the capital on Saturday.
Thailand’s pet industry, with around 8.3 million dogs and 3.7 million cats in 2021, is said to be the second largest in Asia after China, according to industry data.
During the Corona pandemic, the number of pets has continued to increase and some companies are now trying to capitalize on it.
First successes
Mano, 37, brought his cat Kati to the cinema.
“We take him to work sometimes … today is like an experiment,” he told AFP. We’re going to see The Little Mermaid. He’s going to love seeing all the fish on the screen.”
The animals were made to wear diapers and sit in sacks while the sound and lighting were adjusted for their comfort, explained Narute Jiensnong, spokesman for Major Cineplex.
“Bangkok is not a very pet-friendly city,” Narute told AFP, adding that the concept was inspired by child-friendly theaters.
Narute has found that some pets acquired during the pandemic are experiencing separation anxiety after owners are no longer working from home or are in lockdown.
“In children’s cinemas, children run around screaming or yelling… I think that will also apply to animal cinemas. Everyone who comes will have a pet and be understanding [si les chiens aboient]” he explained.
Major Cineplex isn’t the only company opening its doors to these little visitors.
Earlier this month, Swedish furniture giant Ikea announced that small dogs and cats are welcome in its Thai stores, provided they are in strollers.
A controversial project
Outside the theater, disappointment was heard when a 140-pound Alaskan Malamute named Tungchae, arriving in a 1.5-square-meter fan-equipped dog cart, was found to be too big for the theater.
Despite the cinemas’ animal welfare measures, not all pet owners were enthusiastic about the idea.
A longtime emigrant in Bangkok said that while her cat often falls asleep next to her on the sofa in front of the TV, she would never take her pet to the movies, saying it was “unnatural” and constituted “torture.”
“I don’t know if the animal is comfortable being locked in a cage,” she told AFP.
“It’s so ridiculous that dogs aren’t allowed in the parks [de la plupart des villes de Bangkok], but they can go to the cinema or to a café. What happens next? Do you take your dog or cat to a massage parlor?”