Panda cub gets a name

Praifa Srihakhom, a child from Sakhon Nakhon, won the Bt1-million prize in the competition to name Chiang Mai Zoo's panda cub yesterday, while the zoo revealed it would set up Facebook and Twitter sites for fans of the little panda.

About twenty-two million postcard-votes were sent in, with the name Lin Ping (Chinese for "Winter Forest") proving most popular with 13.2 million votes, followed by Kwan Thai at 3.9 million, Thai Chin at 2.9 million and Ying Ying at two million votes.

Bt1 million for girl

Then came yesterday's prize draw, which was presided over by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti. Wanon Niwat district resident Maliwan Pilasri, 57, whose granddaughter Praifa won the big prize, said she bought eight panda postcards worth Bt40 for Praifa. After hearing the news that one had been picked out, the family has been celebrating along with neighbours, said Maliwan, adding that some of the money would be kept to pay for Praifa's education and to make merit.

Prasertsak Boontrakulpoon-thawee, chief of the panda research project, reported yesterday that Lin Ping frequently touched its mother Lin Hui's face, which suggested the cub's eyesight was good, and had also started feeding at regular hours.

After more than two-thirds of visitors responded positively to the idea of a panda fan club, Chiang Mai Zoo has decided to open Facebook and Twitter accounts for Lin Ping. An Hi5 account for the cub is open at http://MyLittlePanda.hi5.com.