Thai PM visits cave where boys' soccer team feared trapped

[webfact]

Thai PM visits cave where boys' soccer team feared trapped

By Chayut Setboonsarng

 

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha arrives at the Tham Luang cave complex during an ongoing search for members of an under-16 soccer team and their coach, in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand, June 29, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

CHIANG RAI, Thailand (Reuters) - As a search in northern Thailand for 12 boys and their soccer coach missing inside a flooded cave entered a sixth day on Friday, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha visited the site, offering encouragement to rescuers and comfort to relatives.

 

The boys, aged between 11 and 16, and their 25-year old assistant coach went missing on Saturday after they decided to explore the Tham Luang cave complex in Chiang Rai province, despite a sign warning visitors that the maze of passages and chambers was prone to flooding.

 

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha waves as he arrives at the Tham Luang cave complex during an ongoing search for members of an under-16 soccer team and their coach, in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand, June 29, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

Bicycles and soccer shoes belonging to the boys were found near the entrance, and rescue workers think handprints inside the cave could have been left by the group. But the search has so far yielded no other trace.

 

The race to find the boys has gripped the Southeast Asian nation, and Prayuth spoke to rescue workers before going inside the cave.

 

"Whatever can be done, do it, the government will back it," said Prayuth. "I'm not worried about the work of the staff but I'm worried about time elapsed for those lost inside the cave," Prayuth told officials.

 

"I've come to give everyone encouragement," he added.

 

Thailand Prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha arrives Tham Luang cave complex during a search for members of an under-16 soccer team and their coach, in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand, June 29, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

International rescue teams, including one sent by the United States Pacific Command (PACOM), are assisting the Thai army, navy and police in a search operation that has been hampered by heavy rain.

 

Plans to drill into the mountain side overnight to drain water from inside the vast cave complex have been partially successful.

 

"We were able to drill on the side," Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osatanakorn, told reporters.

 

The 10-kilometer (6 mile) cave is one of Thailand's longest. Visitors are usually only allowed up to 800 meters inside the cave, which has a reputation for being difficult to navigate.

 

A man who got lost inside the cave in 2002 along with four friends recalled his experience inside the "labyrinth", saying it was a miracle he got out alive.

 

Exhausted family members have been keeping vigil near the cave as they await news about their loved ones.

 

Prayuth spoke to family members after visiting the cave.

 

"They're athletes. They're strong," he told the boys' relatives in an attempt to comfort them.

 

(Additional reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Panarat Thepgumpanat and Pracha Hariraksapitak; Writing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-06-29

 

[MaxLee]

Okay, photo shooting finished, and public image restored

[Cadbury]

The rescue site seems heavily overpopulated. They need to shut access only to people who are vital to the mission and actually doing something to assist.

Those who are there as spectators, selfie addicts and political posers with trailing mobs of bootlicking lackys are only getting in the way and should be removed to a perimeter well away the rescue efforts.

If the PM wants to do something he should go and help in the kitchen to provide food for the rescuers.

Couldn't help but notice he is not wearing his signature series Louis Vuitton scarf.

Edited June 29, 2018 by Cadbury

[BobBKK]

Leave it to the foreign experts and stay away. Hope for good news soon.

[holy cow cm]

Waving to an imaginary crowd. Photo OP. 

Also funny that he wears his id. What does he think, mountain people will not know who he is? 

Edited June 29, 2018 by holy cow cm

[Somtamnication]

What would really impress me are these photo ops stopping and this guy picking up a shovel and start to bloody DIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?

[holy cow cm]

Encouragement? That could only come from him running into the cave, jumping in the water never to be seen again. Not going to happen.

 

On the other side, I do hope the kids get out soon and reunited with their families. Me, my wife and kids discuss this tragedy several times a night and morning. nothing more heart wrenching. 

[gusincebu]

Leave it to the foreign experts and stay away. Hope for good news soon.

They cant win these politicians lol ..

If they go ..they get told to stay away and not interfere ..
If they dont go , they get criticized for not " caring " .

I remember Aquino did not go to Tacloban in the aftermath of Yolanda , and was never allowed to forget it ..
particularly by his political opponents .

Sent from my vivo 1713 using Tapatalk

[sungod]

Damned if he goes, damned if he does not. I think we should give him a break on this one, he is a parent too. 

 

 

[webfact]

“Have confidence in your children and rescue teams”

By Thai PBS

 

 

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha comforts families of the 12 young footballers and their coach trapped inside the Tham Luang cave as he visits the area this morning.

 

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha this morning offered hopes to families of the 12 young footballers and their coach that they will all survive the ordeal as the mission to rescue them from inside Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district entered its sixth day.

 

Noting that since the children and the teenagers are soccer players, they should be physically fit to cope with the hardships they are enduring.

 

“You need to have confidence in your children’s physical fitness and the ability of the rescue teams to help them out,” Gen Prayut told families who gathered to meet him at the rescue command centre.  Most of the families have been camping just outside the Tham Luang cave ever since the rescue mission was launched last Sunday.  The soccer team went missing on Saturday.

 

Full story:  http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/confidence-children-rescue-teams/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-06-29

[BobbyL]

It certainly makes sense for him to visit, but as another poster said, it seems like the area is full of people. 

[kingkenny]

27 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

The rescue site seems heavily overpopulated. They need to shut access only to people who are vital to the mission and actually doing something to assist.

Those who are there as spectators, selfie addicts and political posers with trailing mobs of bootlicking lackys are only getting in the way and should be removed to a perimeter well away the rescue efforts.

If the PM wants to do something he should go and help in the kitchen to provide food for the rescuers.

Couldn't help but notice he is not wearing his signature series Louis Vuitton scarf.

I just had this conversation with my Thai staff whilst we watching TV sat in a government office, the whole thing looks like chaos.

 

She also highlighted some things in Thai language on social media, such as asking for the boys places to be swapped with Prayut, and criticising rescue workers that were finding time to put selfies on facebook from the cave area.

[Vacuum]

1 hour ago, MaxLee said:

Okay, photo shooting finished, and public image restored

Right, Thaksin or Yingluck would never had thought of this....

[curtklay]

What's with the hats and shirts?

[Cadbury]

39 minutes ago, kingkenny said:

I just had this conversation with my Thai staff whilst we watching TV sat in a government office, the whole thing looks like chaos.

 

She also highlighted some things in Thai language on social media, such as asking for the boys places to be swapped with Prayut, and criticising rescue workers that were finding time to put selfies on facebook from the cave area.

I take back what I originally said about him doing work in the in the kitchen. He was there for sure, barking orders to the cooks and tasting the food to give it his approval.

The masses of people following him around says it all. They shouldn't even be there. The place is turning into a circus thanks to the hoards of spectators and selfie ghouls, not to mention senior politicians with their tribes of adoring military bootlickers.

It is good that he is giving moral support to the parents and families but how about he does it away from the operations area.

He seems a bit overdressed for the occasion or is that his Boy Scout uniform. Nothing but a pretentious glory seeking showman, but I think by now most people know that.

 

Edited June 29, 2018 by Cadbury

[Morch]

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

What would really impress me are these photo ops stopping and this guy picking up a shovel and start to bloody DIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?

 

There you go...

 

 

Win win!

[colinneil]

Well little p calls himself the leader of the Thai people, he needed to go there, but no way did it require all of the lackys trailing around after him.

I saw the video of him arriving at the site, why all the vehicles?

Full of bloody ghouls all out for the photo op, disgusting bloody disgusting.

Young boys lives are at stake, and what do we see happening, idiots there just to be seen, get in the media, ghouls thats what they are, no thought about helping the poor boys, just get the best photo possible

Edited June 29, 2018 by colinneil

[KiwiKiwi]

C-A-V-E.

 

Big hole, underground.

 

No, section 44 won't 'Open Sesame', and no, it isn't worth a try.

 

No red shirts, only footballers...

 

Bye then.

Edited June 29, 2018 by KiwiKiwi

[Expatthailover]

1 hour ago, gusincebu said:

They cant win these politicians lol ..

If they go ..they get told to stay away and not interfere ..
If they dont go , they get criticized for not " caring " .

I remember Aquino did not go to Tacloban in the aftermath of Yolanda , and was never allowed to forget it ..
particularly by his political opponents .

Sent from my vivo 1713 using Tapatalk
 

Mostly that will fall on deaf ears.

Default position for many on these threads is sneer and denigrate.

It's what gives them a reason to get out of bed.

T. may turned up at grenfell when it was clear a massive cover up was in operation. Trump goes to th3se schools after shooting and suggests guns are the answer.

Its a tragic situation and there are no winnners.

Prayut is doing no more and no less than what would be expected of any nation head.

[KiwiKiwi]

30 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

There you go...

 

 

Win win!

 

Good God. How lame is it possible to be without dying from it?

[Krataiboy]

29 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

I take back what I originally said about him doing work in the in the kitchen. He was there for sure, barking orders to the cooks and tasting the food to give it his approval.

The masses of people following him around says it all. They shouldn't even be there. The place is turning into a circus thanks to the hoards of spectators and selfie ghouls, not to mention senior politicians with their tribes of adoring military bootlickers.

It is good that he is giving moral support to the parents and families but how about he does it away from the operations area.

He seems a bit overdressed for the occasion or is that his Boy Scout uniform. Nothing but a pretentious glory seeking showman, but I think by now most people know that.

 

He was . . . barking orders to the cooks and tasting the food to give it his approval.

 

Typical of the officer class. In my day (National Service) the canteen duty officer would tour the tables as we ate, asking : "Any complaints?" Anyone daft enough to say "Yes, sir" invariably ended up doing jankers in the canteen kitchens.

[Lobber]

2 hours ago, Cadbury said:

The rescue site seems heavily overpopulated. They need to shut access only to people who are vital to the mission and actually doing something to assist.

Those who are there as spectators, selfie addicts and political posers with trailing mobs of bootlicking lackys are only getting in the way and should be removed to a perimeter well away the rescue efforts.

If the PM wants to do something he should go and help in the kitchen to provide food for the rescuers.

Couldn't help but notice he is not wearing his signature series Louis Vuitton scarf.

could not agree with you more.

[Rimmer]

An Inflammatory post has been removed

[KiwiKiwi]

30 minutes ago, Expatthailover said:

Mostly that will fall on deaf ears.

Default position for many on these threads is sneer and denigrate.

It's what gives them a reason to get out of bed.

T. may turned up at grenfell when it was clear a massive cover up was in operation. Trump goes to th3se schools after shooting and suggests guns are the answer.

Its a tragic situation and there are no winnners.

Prayut is doing no more and no less than what would be expected of any nation head.

 

There must be middle ground, acknowledging that you have a poit. But really, to go up to a mountain cave in a splendid suit, eith half a dozen other publicity seekers in suits, and to hold a new spade and pretend to be digging for 10 seconfs while some oaf takes a picture for the papers.

 

Puhlease. There has to be some serious concern here, because this isn't it.

 

 

[Odysseus123]

14 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

He was . . . barking orders to the cooks and tasting the food to give it his approval.

 

Typical of the officer class. In my day (National Service) the canteen duty officer would tour the tables as we ate, asking : "Any complaints?" Anyone daft enough to say "Yes, sir" invariably ended up doing jankers in the canteen kitchens.

Seems alright to me.

What you would expect after the 'Kursk' disaster when politicians learned that it was be to be seen on the ground..and he is doing what any leader of a nation would do in these circumstances..

Let us hope that these boys (and boys they are) and their coach can still be saved.

 

To the Thai,Laotian,British and US teams that are working 24/7 to save these boys-I wish you "Godspeed,good fortune and may you keep free from harm."

 

[irishken]

If he had of worn his karate suit that he likes to wear from time to time and done one of his famous kicks, he could have just broken into the cave and saved those poor Children. 

Dear Leader. 

Edited June 29, 2018 by irishken

[DM07]

Just look at the whole gang of military- personal and reporters, he dragged along!

This is just a photo- op and basically nothing more then the people, who stop on a highway, to see a fatal crash!

They are just in the way, clog up the space and are utterly useless!

 

...and on top of this: "They're athletes. They're strong," he told the boys' relatives in an attempt to comfort them."

They are a bunch of 13 year old kids, for Christs sake!

Not a bunch UFC- cage fighters with Navy Seals- training!

If you have to open your mouth, say something helpful, like "We are doing our best...we have our best men on it and capable help from abroad..." but not BS like that!

 

I really hope, they get the boys out alive, DESPITE this crap! 

 

The same people, who critized Yingluck, for turning up at some flood prone villages in fancy boots, are now fawning over this schmuck, taking up space and time, just to create another photo- op.

I guess, we are lucky, he didn't turn up in a "historical" costume, accompanied by a girl pop- band!

Edited June 29, 2018 by DM07

[sungod]

25 minutes ago, KiwiKiwi said:

 

There must be middle ground, acknowledging that you have a poit. But really, to go up to a mountain cave in a splendid suit, eith half a dozen other publicity seekers in suits, and to hold a new spade and pretend to be digging for 10 seconfs while some oaf takes a picture for the papers.

 

Puhlease. There has to be some serious concern here, because this isn't it.

 

 

Assuming you are not trolling, the photo is groundbreaking for the railway in Korat, half the people in the photo are Chinese.

[coulson]

I'll bet everyone took a deep breath of relief......when the boyscouts showed up.

[holy cow cm]

OMG. Odd but I missed the video of the cooking. The guy just makes jokes and has a smirk on his face and eats. No Class, No concern except his agenda. This is a true travesty and spectacle that is ludicrous. The media should be ashamed of themselves as well as he should be if he had any morals.