Bringing out the best
Re: "Coaching lesson", PostBag, July 11.
The circumstantial evidence as revealed by most sources on the internet show the forbidden months for visiting Tham Luang cave are between July to October/November. And one notice board in front of the cave as seen by one visitor said the cave is closed between July and October.
The cave, the fourth longest in the country, was understaffed and local people were always asked to help out as tour guides in the high season.
Coach Ekapol Chanthawong is not guilty, nor does he deserve criticism unless the group was warned not to enter.
I venture to guess that the cave has been the kids' playground and some of them could have been tour guides sometimes.
Without doubt, the cost of rescuing them was hefty and the unfortunate death of one ex-Seal was regrettable. But how many times did we see strangers express concerns for these kids?
It brought out the best of human character that money cannot buy. It has been heartening to see the courage and kindness of not only Thais, but also plenty of of non-Thais.
The whole episode reminded me of explorer George Leigh Mallory's answer to the question, "Why did you want to climb Mount Everest?" His retort was sweet: "Because it's there".
A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.
Only an adventurous spirit has advanced progress of mankind. The kids' spirit of adventure is laudable but unfortunately the flash flood surprised them.
Songdej Praditsmanont
Naming rights
I was wondering if Thailand could remember the sacrifice of former navy seal Saman Gunan by perhaps naming something after him, the cave itself, a street, or better yet a scholarship for a young person of limited financial means. Perhaps the Bangkok Post could start a scholarship in his name to which all could contribute.
Dean Barrett
Make them Thais
Let's make the cave kids Thais.
In lauding the resourcefulness of the Wild Boars football team and their rescuers, the nationalities of the kids has generally been overlooked. The New York Times reports that several of them were refugees from Myanmar. Fourteen-year old Adul Sam-on is multi-lingual and played a key role in communicating between the team and the diver that discovered them.
It would be a wonderful gesture if the Thai government would confer citizenship on those team members who are currently stateless. Their resilience and calm demeanour during the rescue are traits that would benefit their new country.
Jerry Huguet
Solidarity test
The whole world is in full admiration for the happy outcome of a profoundly dramatic story. Indeed, after more than two weeks, the extremely difficult and risky operation organised by Thai and international diving experts to find and rescue the Wild Boars football team trapped in Tham Luang cave has proved to be successful and inspiring.
The admiration was first of all generated by the heroic attitude of the 13 "prisoners" in the cave.
They survived not only as a result of their physical and mental endurance, as fortified by psychological advice, assistance and intervention from outside, but also by passing the complex test of true human solidarity which was complemented by exemplary manifestations of international cooperation and solidarity.
A strong global lesson can be learned from this extraordinary event.
International cooperation in the spirit of authentic solidarity and a powerful sense of moral responsibility must be the guiding light of national and international policy.
They are not only ethical imperatives, but also prerequisites for a prosperous, peaceful and secure world. Solidarity is a prerequisite of globalisation with a human face.
Ioan Voicu
Titanic illusion
Re: "Ships to be 'unsinkable", (BP, July 11).
I believe that is what they claimed about the Titanic. Keep up the illusion, gents.
It still might be achieved one day, but, not in Thailand where the word safety is but an illusion.
Rubber Ducky Jackie
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