Thailand-born panda to be returned to China

CHIANG MAI, April 11 (TNA) - Lin Ping, a female panda born at Chiang Mai Zoo in the Thai North, is to be sent to Chengdu in China, as a deal on her three-year extended stay in Thailand ends in May 2013. Permanent Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Chote Trachu told journalists on Thursday that Lin Ping, now three years and 11 months old, needs to be back to China for mating, as reasoned by the Chinese authorities. Chote said, however, that China will likely agree to Thailand's request that Lin Ping’s offspring be sent to live with its grandparents, Xuang Xuang and Lin Hui, at Chiang Mai Zoo. According to the senior official, two Thai caretakers from Thailand will accompany Lin Ping during her journey and stay in China. Lin Ping is the first-ever panda born in Thailand from a panda couple, also lent by China, Xuang Xuang and Lin Hui, whose stay at the Chiang Mai Zoo has also been extended. (TNA)