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Zookeepers and staff at Chiang Mai zoo are closely observing the park’s China guests, female panda Lin Hui and her baby as Chinese experts flew to Thailand to examine the one-day-old female panda cub.

After Lin Hui, the 7-year-old female panda, had undergone artificial insemination, She surprisingly gave birth on Wednesday without prior confirmation she was pregnant. The new mother, protective of her newborn, has been left undisturbed for the time being with the cub, weighting in at 200-grammes and sporting a loud cry.

Chiang Mai zoo director, Thanapath Pongpamorn, said mother and baby were doing well. The zoo would hold a public competition to name the panda baby.

Specialists from China, meanwhile, arrived at Chiang Mai zoo on Thursday afternoon, to assist Thai officials in raising the cub and conducting a health check-up.

The zoo’s director said the Chinese experts had advised round-the-clock care for the pair, which would also be kept away from for at least a month to avoid excessive noise while the cub was developing.

Thailand's 'borrowed' female panda Lin Hui and her male companion Chuang Chuang from China six years ago as ambassadors of friendship between the two countries. The pandas have ever since been on exhibition at Chiang Mai Zoo.

Artificial insemination was conducted for the panda couple on February 18. (TNA)