Lin Hui, the female panda in a zoo of Thailand's northern province of Chiang Mai delivered her first baby on Wednesday morning, Thailand's Zoological Park Organization Director Sophon Damnui said.

Earlier, local media reported that Lin Hui delivered twin babies, but later the zoo officially announced that it was not the twin pandas, but it was only a baby panda.

Shortly after shaking and pushing, Lin Hui delivered her baby at 10:39 a.m., local time, Prasertsak Boontrakulpoonthawee, head of the zoo's panda section, said.

The newly-born panda is estimated to weight 200 grams, according to Sophon.

However, the zoo could not identify the gender of the newly- born panda since Lin Hui does not let zoo officials to get close to it, Sophon said.

In February 2009, Lin Hui was impregnated with artificial insemination.

Lin Hui's delivery was already reported to China's government and has asked China to send baby panda experts to Chiang Mai, said Prasertsak.

On Thursday at 2.0 p.m. Thailand's time, two experts of baby pandas from China will arrive at Thailand to take care of the newly-born pandas in Chiang Mai, said Sophon.

Female panda Lin Hui and male panda Xuang Xuang have been on loan from China to Chiang Mai zoo since 2003, as part of a panda research program.

The loan agreement will see the two pandas and their offspring returned to China after 10 years.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2009)