Thailand to request China to extend panda stay for two more years

• • 

CHIANG MAI, Nov 27 -- Thai authorities will request China to let Lin Ping, a female panda, born for the first time in Thailand and now residing at a zoo in the northern capital of Chiang Mai, to extend her stay in the country for another two more years.

Prasertsak Buntrakulpuntawi, head of Chiang Mai Zoo’s panda research project, said the contract for sending back Lin Ping to China was going to expire in another six months and senior Chinese wildlife conservation officials are to visit Thailand and discuss the issue with Thai officials on Dec 20.

Mr Prasertsak said Thailand had received much praise regarding Lin Bing's care as well as for that of her parents, now also staying at the same zoo, as well as for research on pandas, and he is full of hope that Chinese officials would allow her to continue staying in this country for an additional two years.

Officials of both countries are also expected to confer on a possibility of setting up a panda research centre in Thailand at a cost of Bt28.5 million which would be requested from the government from its budget expenditure for the 2012 fiscal year which starts October 1, 2011, he said.

Lin Ping was born to Lin Hui and Xuang Xuang on May 27, 2009 at Chiang Mai Zoo through Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT). Her name which means ‘Forest of Ice’ in Chinese was chosen after a nationwide name selection contest that attracted about 22 million votes. “Ping” also sounds similar to the Thai pronounciation of Ping River which flows through northern Thailand near where the zoo is located.

Her birth and subsequent publicity have attracted many tourists to the zoo. As a result, Thai officials commissioned a Bt60 million domed habitation for the cub. (MCOT online news)