I have tried searching but had little luck finding any recent news in the last few days reference the extension of stay for the Chiang Mai Panda Bear family.

Has anybody got any news on the the meeting that was to take place between 8-14 January ? The Thai Government officials and a Chinese delagation were Chiang Mai to dicuss an extension of stay for the Pandas? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.:jap:

What sort of visa are they trying to get? do they have 800,000 baht in the bank

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Coma,

The last farang who tried posing as a Panda to get a visa extension spent 5,000 baht on a custom costume, and already spoke some Chinese, as well as Thai, but the Immigration officials called the Chiang Mai zoo, and he was picked up, and put in a quarantine holding pen for observation.

When, after three days, they saw he had eaten no bamboo, and was having violent diarrhea as a result of drinking the water they gave him, and screaming in a European language: he was unmasked, and found to have overstayed 843 days, and was arrested, and put in jail. We lost track of him after that, but assume he was eventually deported.

Reportedly, the costume he made was sent, as the result of some very senior Bangkok person's request, to said senior person, and has been seen at a "yellow" rally.

His mistake was not to have gone to Khao San Road in Bangkok, first, and gotten a fresh-made Chinese passport forgery appropriately back-dated and up-dated !

best, ~o:37;

Maybe the 'Made in China' tag on the costume was a giveaway?

Thanks for the humour you bamboo munchers LOL.

Any real info would be appreciated also. Thanks.

There's a thread on the Chiang-Mai News & Events sub-sub-forum, reporting the visit, but no recent hard-news on any outcome.

The USA have just had their Pandas stay extended.

The Chinese might have the CM Pandas stay also extended due to the pair having a baby.

Here's hoping as it does help the local tourist. industry.