Football legends praise rescue ‘heroes'

“The heroes are there, not at the World Cup – the kids, the divers and everyone involved in the rescue. For me, the World Cup comes second.” Mourinho

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has extended his congratulations to the 13 Mu Pa Academy football club members after they were rescued from a Chiang Rai cave on Tuesday.

Mourinho told Russian broadcaster RT that he was amazed at what has happened in Thailand.

“The heroes are there, not at the World Cup – the kids, the divers and everyone involved in the rescue. For me, the World Cup comes second.”

Other football celebrities and English Premiership champions have also expressed their congratulations to the Mu Pa team from Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai.

Arsenal’s German footballer Mesut Ozil tweeted at @MesutOzil1088: “All boys and their coach have made it out of the cave in Thailand safely.#NeverGiveUp”

Fresh from helping France to win the World Cup semi-final against Belgium, Les Bleus’ midfielder Paul Pogba dedicated the victory to the boys on Instagram.

“The victory goes to the heroes of the day, well done boys, you are strong,” he wrote.

Pogba’s club Manchester United announced on Facebook that the Mu Pa boys are invited to a game at the Old Trafford in the new season.

“We would be honoured to welcome the team from the Wild Boars Football Club and their rescuers to Old Trafford this coming season.”

The invitation should bring smiles to the faces of the 12 Thai boys and their coach who were trapped inside the cave in Chiang Rai for more than two weeks.

 FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTEL & FLIGHT BOOKINGS

Former England captain David Beckham also posted on Instagram to salute the rescue team, especially Saman Kunan who died during the operation.

“These boys are heroes, as is the coach, the men and the women who risked their lives rescuing them and the incredible Saman Kunan,” Beckham said.

As they have to spend a week at a hospital for recovery, they are unlikely to accept the invitation from Fifa president Gianni Infantino to the World Cup final in Russia this Sunday.

England’s defender Kyle Walker posted on Instagram asking for the address of the trapped boys because one of the victims wore England’s national jersey. 

“I’d like to send out shirts to them. Is there anyone who can help with an address?” asked Walker, whose team will face Croatia in the other World Cup semi-final tonight.

On Tuesday former English Premiership champions Leicester City released a clip saying in Thai “Mu Pa, klab baan” (Wild Boars, come home!).

Source - TheNation

Finding a new opportunity to invite the boys to a FIFA event

FIFA boss Gianni Infantino had invited the boys' Wild Boars football team to Sunday's World Cup final last week.

But FIFA said it had been informed "that due to medical reasons, the boys will not be in a position to travel to Moscow".

"FIFA's priority remains the health of everyone involved in the operation and we will look into finding a new opportunity to invite the boys to a FIFA event to share with them a moment of communion and celebration," a spokesman said.

The Thai footballers, aged from 11 to 16, had been stuck deep underground after setting off to explore the cave with their coach after training on June 23.

FIFA also expressed condolences to the family of a Thai Navy SEAL who died after running out of oxygen during the rescue operation on Friday. "Our thoughts are with his family," FIFA said.

 Sourse - TheNation

#ThaiCaveRescue: Mission in third day to extract remaining four members of football team and their coach from a cave in northern Thailand

All 12 boys and their coach out of flooded cave system, Thai navy Seals confirm

All 12 of the "Wild Boars" academy team and their 25-year-old coach have now been rescued from the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand, Thai Navy Seals confirm.

Four of the players and their coach have escaped on an extended operation on the third day of the rescue mission.

Final Wild Boar leaves the cave

An Australian doctor, who has been providing medical checks before the boys start their journey, and four Thai navy Seals are yet to come out of the caves.

The group were stuck in the cave since June 23 and under went a 4km long journey to escape.
The four boys and their coach who were rescued today are being taken to Chiang Rai Hospital for medical treatment.

Source -TheNation / nationmultimedia.com/

Two more Mu Pa footballers removed from Tham Luang cave Tuesday

Two more young footballers of Mu Pa Academy football club on Tuesday separately emerged from Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province on the day 3 of operation to remove the remaining four football players and their assistant coach.

Chief operation Narongsak Osottanakorn said earlier that the rescue authorities expected to remove all the stranded Mu Pa members from the cave today.

The operation that began on Sunday have already retrieved eight of the 13 Mu Pa members who got stuck in the cave since June 23.

The ninth boy emerged from the cave at 4pm while the tenth about 20 minutes later.

They received medical examinations at a field hospital erected near the cave.

They will follow the same pattern by boarding an ambulance to board helicopter to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital.

The young Mu Pa Academy footballers, whose name have not been revealed, were taken by ambulance from the cave in Mae Sai district before boarding a chopper to Chiangrai Prachanukraw hospital in Muang district. They became the second and the third to come out of the cave on day two of the operation to evacuate the footballers and their assistant coach from the cave, where they were stranded 15 days ago. On Monday, four of his team members were separately extracted from the cave and are receiving treatment at the hospital.

Source - TheNation

#Thailand - Mission Day 3 begins to evacuate final five

Efforts resumed on Tuesday morning to evacuate the remaining five Mu Pa Academy football club members from Tham Luang Cave in the hope of bringing them all to safety within hours, the mission chief said.

Narongsak Osottanakorn told reporters the operation started at 10.08am with 19 divers assigned to extract four young footballers and their 25-year-old assistant coach, Ekkapon Chantawong.

He said they got an earlier start than on the previous two rescue days, Sunday and Monday, and felt confident in the experience gained.

Despite rain overnight, the water level inside the cave was similar to that of Monday, Narongsak said.

Also to be brought out on Tuesday were the physician and three Navy SEAL divers who had stayed with the remaining footballers on the Noen Nom Sao ledge where they’d been found stranded.

Flash flooding trapped the group in the cave on June 23, sparking a multinational rescue mission that had to overcome numerous difficulties, including strong currents of murky water submerging sections of the cave.

A pair of British cave divers found them on July 2, alive but exha

usted on a sandy ledge above the water level.

Their state of health posed a further challenge to the rescue effort, as did the surging water levels and rough subterranean terrain.

Narongsak decided on Sunday to launch the rescue operation after being assured the water had receded and the boys’ health was improving thanks to nourishment given them by the SEALs team.

Narongsak said two of the boys evacuated on Sunday emerged with lung infections, but their condition was improving with doses of antibiotics.

The eight boys undergoing treatment at Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital were in general good health, both physically and mentally, he said.

One of them has low body temperature after spending days in the cold cave but is also improving.

Source - TheNation

Khao Phansa festivals across Thailand

One of the most charming festivals celebrated in Thailand is Khao Phansa, or Buddhist Lent Day, which marks the official start of the rainy season. It also marks the period when monks traditionally retreat to their temples for a three-month period of study and meditation.

Khao Phansa day itself is a day of special celebration and is held on the full moon of the eighth lunar month which this year falls on 28 July. But many of the celebrations to mark the festival will take place over several days during the last week of July.

Here’s a rundown of what’s on during Khao Phansa 2018 and where:

Ubon Ratchathani International Wax Candle Festival and Wax Candle Procession

Date: 23-28 July 2018

Venue: Ubon Ratchathani City Areas

The International Wax Candle Festival and Wax Candle Procession takes place in Thung Si Mueang Park, Ubon Ratchathani. Teams come from all over the world to compete and the detail on the wax artworks is staggering, with some being colossal in scale. It’s a great place to explore unique local cultures as the locals wear traditional dress and show off their age-old folk dances.

Nakhon Ratchasima Candle Procession

Date: 26-28 July 2018

Venue: Thao Suranari Monument

At the Thao Suranari Monument in Mueang Korat, there will be a wax candle contest, a candle parade, and merit-making activities. Held annually to promote the local art and culture, the festival will also feature a number of cultural activities including Khon, a traditional masked dance performance.

Nakhon Phanom Candle Festival

Date: 28 July 2018

Venue: Wat Phra That Phanom

The Lao-influenced culture of Nakhon Phanom gives a different twist to the Khao Phansa celebrations. The festival centres on the iconic local pagoda of Wat Phra That Phanom and there is always a procession of exquisitely carved candles to enjoy as well as the Miss Candle Beauty contest where local beauties hope to be named winner.

Ayutthaya Aquatic Phansa Festival

Date: 28 July 2018

Venue: Lad Chado market, Ayutthaya

The ancient capital of Ayutthaya hosts very memorable Khao Phansa celebrations, as the candles are taken to the local temples in more than 200 colourful boats that float down the city’s ancient Lad Chado canal. Visitors can also enjoy a taste of rural life, beauty pageants, and local games.

Suphanburi Khao Phansa Candle Procession

Date: 27-28 July 2018

Venue: Wat Pa Laylai Woraviharn, Tambon Rua Yai, Mueang Suphan Buri

Students from local art colleges compete to put on the most impressive candle displays. There are huge sculptures depicting creatures and heroes from Thai myth and these are proudly paraded around town. Visitors also enjoy exhibitions about the ways of life of the local tribal people and colourful displays of folk dancing.

Saraburi Khao Phansa Festival
Date: 26-28 July 2018

Venue: Wat Phra Putthabat Ratchaworamahaviharn, Saraburi

During Khao Phansa in Saraburi, people visit the local shrine of the Buddha’s Footprint where yellow and white flowers are offered to monks (Tak Bat Dok Mai) as a way of making merit. This has become a big event and now thousands of people join to give alms to the monks as they ascend the steep stairs of the shrine.

Nan Candle Festival

Date: 29 July 2018

Venue: Bunyuen Royal Temple, Wiang Sa district, Nan

Visitors can join local people as they offer food to the monks in the morning. Later in the day, they can join the almsgiving of candles to the temple and take part in other merit-making activities that offer insight into the culture of Thai Buddhism.

Source - The Nation

Thailand - Four more boys brought out of tham luang cave on 2nd successful day.

AS THE WORLD watches with awe, the dramatic rescue of the 12 boys and their football coach from Tham Luang cave, is unfolding successfully by the hour.

As of yesterday, at least eight of the 13 have been evacuated from the flooded Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province and they are now being observed at Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital. 

The decision to evacuate the stranded 13 was made on Sunday morning and by evening four of the boys had been rescued, taking advantage of a window of opportunity. The mission plunged into the task again yesterday and managed to pull another four out by evening. Rescuers are planning to save all the remaining footballers from the Chiang Rai cave before the monsoon rains unleash their full wrath.

 The drama began 17 days ago as the assistant football coach of a local football team, Mu Pa Academy Mae Sai, and 12 team members visited the mountainous region on June 23. The 13 got stranded deep in the Tham Luang cave following sudden flash floods. The children are aged between 11 and 16 years old and their coach is 25. The muddy floodwaters, the pitch darkness and thin air inside the cave hampered initial rescue efforts. The desperate rescue operation expanded rapidly as numerous rescue workers, the Royal Thai Navy’s SEALs, academics, many organisations in Thailand, and foreign experts, joined the rescue operation.

Since June 30, the floodwater level inside the cave has begun subsiding significantly thanks to the deployment of powerful pumps, diversion of water, and the gesture of farmers in the vicinity to let their fields be flooded in order to drain water from the cave.

 On July 2, foreign divers found all 13 Mu Pa members alive at a dry spot about 5 kilometres from the cave’s entrance. 

Serious preparations for their removal began, including a crash course in diving for the stranded survivors, with evacuations finally kicking off on Sunday. 

Foreign diving specialists and Thai SEALs have already successfully helped at least eight footballers brave through perilous narrow passages and tunnels in the cave, with two divers escorting each of the evacuees. 

Some flooded passages within the cave are reportedly less than 40 centimetres wide, making it impossible to pass through with an oxygen tank on the back. Buoyed by Sunday’s success, the same diving evacuation team launched the second phase of the operations at about 11am yesterday. 

Former Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osottanakorn, who heads the rescue-operations command, said the divers were sufficiently rested and oxygen tanks had been replaced along their route by the support team. 

Narongsak said yesterday afternoon that the prospects for their mission were looking good. “The conditions [yesterday] are as great as on Sunday, with regard to the floodwater level, the amount of air, and the strength of the Mu Pa team members,” he said. 

Although it has been raining in Chiang Rai province over the past few days, the floodwater level is still manageable. 

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department’s deputy director-general Kobchai Boonyaorana said that the floodwater level inside the cave was even lower. 

“There is some rain. But water drainage at the cave has gone as well as planned,” he said. At present authorities have not revealed the identities of the evacuees out of concern for the feelings of parents whose boys are yet to come out. Narongsak only confirmed that the first four evacuees from the cave were in good physical condition. 

An ambulance exits from the Tham Luang cave area as rescue operations continue for those still trapped inside the cave in Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai province yesterday. 

While the rescue efforts have achieved incredible success, they have been beset by one fatality. Former SEAL, Petty Officer First Class Samarn Kunun, 38, died during the rescue operation last week.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who headed to Chiang Rai last night to view the progress, said HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn had provided assistance to Samarn’s family. Prayut said the King had also emphasised that the family of the deceased should receive good care from relevant organisations. 

Source - TheNation