A three-day grand celebration to welcome the baby panda kicked off yesterday as thousands of tourists rushed to have a close look at the cub.
The northern-style ceremony was held as the panda cub opened her eye to the world around her for the first time.
It is the left eye which has opened. The right eye of the 37-day-old panda is expected to open in one or two days, said Prasertsak Buntrakulpuntawi, director for panda research and display.
The Chiang Mai zoo allowed visitors to see her from in front of a glass room yesterday as part of the Su Khao Aow Kwan blessing ceremony for the panda which was born on May 27 to Lin Hui and Xuang Xuang, two giant pandas on a 10-year loan from China since 2003.
The Chiang Mai zoo allowed visitors to see her from in front of a glass room yesterday as part of the Su Khao Aow Kwan blessing ceremony for the panda which was born on May 27 to Lin Hui and Xuang Xuang, two giant pandas on a 10-year loan from China since 2003.
Normally, a new-born opens its eyes about one month after birth. It is not until the baby is three months old that it starts turning furry like its parents. But for panda lovers, a three-month wait is too long. So yesterday long lines formed at the baby panda's care shelter at the zoo. Zoo officials gave visitors only two visiting times, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, each of which lasted only one and 20 minutes.
Two thousand tickets which were made available quickly sold out yesterday. Still, so many were left waiting in a long queue that stretched to nearly two kilometres and they only got tickets for a glimpse of the cub on the following days.
The ceremony, featuring an animal parade and northern cultural shows, will run until tomorrow.
"I'm very happy to see so many people join our activity," said Zoological Park Organisation director Sophon Damnui.
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