AFP
BANGKOK
A celebrity panda, whose exploits were avidly followed in Thailand on a 24-hour television channel, left the kingdom Saturday in search of a mate in China, her zookeeper said.
Linping, who has drawn around 2.5 million people to Chiang Mai zoo since she was born in 2009, was flown from the northern Thai city for China’s Chengdu where she will meet six male giant pandas within her age range.
More than 200 adoring Thai fans accompanied the bear on a Thai Airways flight to China, where she will set up temporary home in the Wolong nature reserve.
“She will be in China for one year to select her mate,” said Tanapattara Pongpamorn, director of Chiang Mai zoo.
“She must like her mate too otherwise they will hurt each other.”
The beloved bear has been loaned by Chinese authorities to the kingdom and under the deal Linping will return to Thailand next year with her mate - if she finds one - he added.
Hundreds of Thais, many in Linping T-shirts, turned out to bid the four-year-old panda farewell - with some preparing a mock dowry of fruit for the bear - while social media was awash with soppy farewells to the creature.