As in the Hollywood of Chiang Mai! Yes, big plans are coming! Chiang Mai Wood (CNX-Wood) will be a 175-acre mixed-use movie studio and residential development in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Once completed, the sprawling complex will house the state-of-the-art CNX Movie World Studios, as well as an integrated network of self-sufficient residential neighborhoods, a wide variety of entertainment offerings, cultural venues, museums and world-class restaurants.

These plans were recently unveiled by Creative Kingdom.

For real and not through a TV inside the Chiang Mai Zoo? Well, AsiaOne news just reported yesterday that the public will be allowed to view the panda cub directly from 4 to 6 July 2009. There will be two rounds of viewing each day, with the cub placed inside a glass cage.

With the high level of interest among Thais about the panda birth though, you can expect a squeeze at the zoo during the three days. It may be a better idea to visit after the display of the panda cub is fully open.

Full story here.

Chiang Mai Zoo’s panda, Lin Hui, has given birth to a healthy female baby panda at 10.39am Wednesday! Why is this such a big deal? Well, pandas apparently have a very low sex drive and births are very rare. Thailand is only the third country outside of China to succesfully breed a panda in captivity. The other two are U.S. and Japan.

The two pandas Lin Hui and Xuang Xuang are on loan from China in 2013. Under the loan programme, Chiang Mai Zoo can keep the baby panda for two years.

You’ll have to wait about a month before you are allowed to see the baby panda in the zoo though.

Seems like the giant panda Lin Hui in Chang Mai Zoo is showing signs of pregnancy. She’s been eating less and sleeping more during the day. Other changes were increasing hormones and changes in its eating behavior after the artificial fertilization was conducted three months ago. The pregnancy results won’t be confirmed so soon though. It’ll probably take a few more months.

Well, the zoo used artificial insemination as a last resort after videos of “panda porn” failed to whip Chuang Chuang into baby-making action.