One of Thailand's giant pandas dies, igniting Chinese social media outrage

Record ID: 1432947

  • Title: One of Thailand's giant pandas dies, igniting Chinese social media outrage
  • Date: 18th September 2019
  • Summary: CHIANG MAI, THAILAND (FILE - OCTOBER 12, 2003) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) PLANE ARRIVING AT CHIANG MAI AIRPORT PERSON IN PANDA COSTUME HOLDING THAI AND CHINESE FLAGS TWO PANDAS IN CAGES BEING UNLOADED FROM THE PLANE STAFF UNHOOKING CAGE WITH CHUANGCHUANG AND MATE INSIDE TRUCK CARRYING CHUANGCHUANG AND MATE DRIVING PEOPLE WAVING CHINESE AND THAI FLAGS CHIANG MAI, THAILAND (FILE) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) CHUANGCHUANG AND MATE PLAYING IN PEN
  • Embargoed: 2nd October 2019 13:07
  • Keywords: Thailand Chiang Mai Panda China
  • Location: CHIANG MAI, THAILAND/INTERNET
  • City: CHIANG MAI, THAILAND/INTERNET
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA004AX6NH3B
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:The death of a giant panda at Thailand's Chiang Mai Zoo has sparked anger across Chinese social media.
    Staff from Chiang Mai Zoo announced the death of 19 year-old Chuangchuang on Tuesday (September 17). Zoo staff said that under the agreement with Chinese authorities, Chinese experts must jointly investigate the animal's cause of death with local zoo staff and experts from China are due to arrive on Thursday (September 19).
    Chinese social media users expressed their fury at Thailand in comments with the hashtag "panda lent to Thailand Chuangchuang suspected of choking to death."
    Pandas generally live 14-20 years in the wild but can live up to 30 years in captivity, according to the WWF animal welfare organisation.
    Chuang Chuang and his partner Lin Hui - now Thailand's only remaining panda - were celebrities in Thailand after Lin Hui in 2009 gave birth to a rare baby panda born in captivity, which was eventually returned to China.
    Lin Hui conceived through artificial insemination after Chuang Chuang failed to impregnate her, despite being shown videos dubbed "panda porn" meant to encourage them to mate.
    The pair has been on loan to Thailand since 2003. They were "married" in November 2005 at a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony overseen by a Chinese diplomat to mark the zoo's 28th birthday.
    (Production: Jiraporn Kuhakan, Joseph Campbell)
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