Tourists snap selfies by a bronze statue of the diver who died trying
to save the 'Wild Boars' football team from a flooded cave, while
momentos from their rescue fly off the shelves -- scooped up by the 1.3
million people who have descended on a once serene mountainside in
northern Thailand.
"It's amazing what happened here. I followed everything from
Australia," tourist John McGowan told AFP after taking photos at the
visitor centre around 100 metres from the Tham Luang cave entrance.
"I wanted to see it with my own eyes," the 60-year-old said, adding
he was a little disappointed the cave is still off limits to visitors.
For a few dollars tourists can get framed photos at the site, pick up
posters of the footballers and take home a souvenir t-shirt -- some
printed with the face of Saman Gunan the Thai diver who died in the bid
to save the group.
There has been extraordinary global interest in the picturesque rural
backwater of Mae Sai since 12 youngsters -- aged between 11 and 16 --
and their coach entered the Tham Luang cave on June 23, 2018.
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They quickly became trapped by rising water levels and the daring,
unprecedented mission to extract them through twisting flooded
passageways captivated the world for 18 nail-biting days.
When they emerged -- after being heavily sedated and manoeuvered out
by expert divers -- they did so into the centre of a global media
frenzy.
The cave, which previously received around 5,000 visitors a year, has since been inundated by visitors both Thai and foreign.
"A miracle has happened here with these children," Singaporean
tourist Cheong, giving one name, said but adding Tham Luang "must still
have a spiritual side" despite the mass popularity.
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- Tragedy and luck -
Mae Sai district, where the cave is located, was considered off the beaten track for foreign visitors.
But between October 2018 and April this year alone "1.3 million people visited," site manager Kawee Prasomphol told AFP.
The government now has big plans for the area around the storied
cave, Kawee added, allocating a total of 50 million baht ($1.6 million)
including a shopping complex, restaurants, hotels and several campsites
outside the national park.
Vans disgorge streams of tourists who explore a visitor hub where the centrepiece is a mural entitled "The Heroes".
It depicts the young footballers, stars of the rescue, and junta
chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha -- a reminder of the governmental fingerprints
in aiding their cause.
At the heart of the mural is the beaming face of Saman Gunan, the
Thai Navy SEAL diver who ran out off oxygen attempting to establish an
air line to the children and their coach -- the only fatality across the
near three-week rescue mission.
Laying white flowers at the foot of his bronze statue, Thai nurse
Sumalee, who travelled four hours to the site, described him as "the
hero of the whole country" in a sobering reminder of the risks involved
in the rescue amid the blizzard of marketing opportunities now attached
to the cave story.
Nearby lottery ticket vendors are capitalising on the perceived good
fortune linked to the boys' survival and the folkloric appeal of a
nearby shrine. The number of stalls has mushroomed from a few dozen to
around 250.
Kraingkrai Kamsuwan, 60, who moved his stall to the site weeks after
the rescue, sells 4,000 tickets a month ($2.5) but reckons more will
visitors will arrive once the cave reopens.
He told AFP: "People want to gamble after wishing for luck from the shrine."
Source - TheJakartaPost
