Chiang Mai Night Safari to welcome new animals

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's first night safari in the country's northern resort province of Chiang Mai will soon welcome a new batch of nearly 170 animals provided by the government.

Most of the new animals, or 138, will be donated by the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, while the rest 31 ones will be provided by the Zoological Park Organization with a special price, according to the chief of the Chiang Mai Night Safari Project, Mr. Plodprasop Suraswadi.

National Resources and Environment Minister Yongyut Tiyapairat would preside over a ceremony to deliver the new animals, Mr. Prodprasop disclosed.

The first batch of nine animals arrived at the Chiang Mai Night Safari earlier this month.

They were warmly welcomed in a traditional Lanna ceremony amid a crowd of well-wishers.

The Chiang Mai Night Safari, located in Mae Heah District, is scheduled to be officially opened by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in November.

The prime minister earlier said that Kenya had promised to send all animals requested by the Thai government to the Nigh Safari in time for its official opening during the forthcoming Loy Krathong Festival.

"The Chiang Mai Night Safari will have an excellent hygienic system to protect all the animals", he affirmed.

When opened, the Chiang Mai Night Safari will have 1,500 animals of about 150 species.

The entrance fees will be Bt200-400 for each visitor.

--TNA 2005-07-23

All I can see driving past my home to the Night Safari is truck after truck carrying nothing but White Elephants.....

If it opens in November, how many months late will that be from the original plan?

The wife thinks I would be a great candidate as an animal for the Zoo.Large, often make loud bodily fuction noises, only go out at night and can be kept happy with a few cold beers that can be consumed at express pace to the wonderment of the crowd.