Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha arrived at Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district on Friday morning as the search for the team of 12 young footballers and their coach trapped inside the labyrinth entered its sixth day.
He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikulya and Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda.
Water levels were reported to have slightly receded on Friday after being swollen by heavy rain on Thursday, forcing rescuers to retreat from the cave.
Efforts continued to pump out enough water for divers to resume the search.
Theeraphong Burirak, director of the Chiang Mai-based Provincial Electricity Authority Region 1 (North), said 13,700 metres of waterproof electrical wire had been delivered to the site to extend the 4,000 metres of wiring already in place and enable the supply electricity deeper inside the cave.
US rescuers were deploying ultrasonic sensors to be used in underwater navigation in the turbid water. Thermal sensors, or infrared body heat detectors, to help locate the victims and diver propulsion vehicles were also being employed.
Another unit of Royal Thai Navy Seals was expected to arrive on Friday afternoon with more rescue equipment. They will help pump water out of the cave and comb through surrounding areas looking for more shafts leading down into the cave.
In Bangkok, Army Cyber Centre chief Gen Rittee Intravudh delivered his thanks to US military attache Col Larry J Redmon, of the US embassy, following the arrival of specialist disaster and rescue team from Hawaii, at a dinner to mark both the 200th anniversary of the first contacts between Thailand and US and US Independence Day.
The young students, aged 11-16, were led into the cave system by their 26-year-old coach after practice on Saturday and have not been seen since. It is believed they were trapped inside by rising flood water caused by heavy, continuing, rain. The bicycles, shoes and backpacks were found near the cave entrance.
