Thailand is preparing documents to negotiate with China's government to set up a permanent Chinese-Thai panda research center in Thailand's North, Thai News Agency reported Wednesday.

Suwit Khunkitti, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, has instructed involved officials to prepare the documents to discuss with China to set up the permanent Chinese-Thai panda research center in a northern province of Chiang Mai, said Prasertsak Boontrakulpoonthawee, chief of the panda research project at the Chiang Mai Zoo.

The permanent Chinese-Thai panda research center is possible, however, Thailand has to follow necessary steps, Prasertsak said.

It is expected that the negotiation with the Chinese government will take place soon, the chief of the panda research project at the Chiang Mai Zoo said.

Giant pandas, Lin Hui and Chuang Chuang, the parents of Lin Bing, have been on loan from China to the Chiang Mai Zoo since 2003, as part of a panda research program. Lin Bing was born on May 27 last year.

The loan agreement will see the two pandas return to China after 10 years, while any cub will be returned to China after two years of its birth.

On Feb. 18, 2009, Lin Hui was impregnated with artificial insemination after all efforts to arouse male Chuang Chuang's interest in mating had failed.

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