Asia-Pacific

Thailand requests China to extend panda's stay

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-01-10 19:43

BANGKOK - Thailand on Monday starts negotiations with the visiting Chinese delegation to extend the stay of baby panda, who is scheduled to return to China in May.

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Thailand hopes that the baby panda Lin Ping, born in Chiang Mai Zoo of Thailand, will be allowed to stay in the country for another two years.

Since her birth nearly two years ago, Lin Ping and her parents have become superstars, boosting the number of tourists to the Chiang Mai Zoo.                    

According to the current agreement, the baby panda has to return to China within five months.

Two options will be discussed in the negotiations between Thai and the visiting Chinese officials, which started on Monday: either China sends a male panda here to mate with Lin Ping or Lin Ping goes back to China, chooses her mate and returns to Thailand.

Lin Ping, the first panda cub born in Thailand and the daughter of Chuang Chuang, the female panda, and Lin Hui, is now 20 months old.

Sophon Damnui, director of Zoological Park Organization of Thailand, said that Thailand will offer to set up a Panda Research Center in Chiang Mai zoo compound as part of the negotiation.

Natural Resource and Environment Minister Suwit Kunkitti had already held talks with China twice about extending Lin Ping's stay.