Chile miners urge rescued Thai boys to be wary of new-found fame

By Aislinn Laing

 

An ambulance carrying rescued schoolboys leaves from Tham Luang cave complex in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand, July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - As the world watched the rescue of 12 Thai boys and their soccer coach from deep inside a flooded cave, on the other side of the globe a group of Chilean miners followed the unfolding drama anxiously.

 

The 33 former gold miners were themselves the focus of international media attention eight years ago when they were freed after 69 days trapped underground at the San Jose mine in northern Chile.

 

Since their rescue by Chilean authorities and international experts amid a blaze of publicity, many of the miners have endured relationship breakdowns, psychological problems, penury and unemployment, members of the group said.

 

The former mine foreman Luis Urzua urged the rescued children to stick close to their families and avoid their heads being turned by financial offers. The last of the boys was freed on Tuesday, and all twelve are in a hospital where they are being kept for tests. 

 

Chilean rescued miners, locals and authorities gather during an official ceremony to commemorate the rescue anniversary at the San Jose Copper copper and gold mine near Copiapo city October 13, 2011. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado

 

Urzua described his own experience of being brought to the surface into the glare of media lights, lawyers proffering rights contracts and politicians eager to share the limelight.

 

"They and their families won't have the capacity to cope with this kind of thing. We couldn't cope and we were adults," said Urzua, now aged 62, who was credited with keeping his colleagues united underground.

 

Urzua praised the Thai authorities' caution in dealing with the situation. They did not identify the boys, who are aged between 11 and 16, and have said they are keeping them in quarantine in the hospital because of the risk of infection.

 

"That is important so these children can reintegrate little by little into their old environment, because they will be very traumatized and vulnerable," Urzua told Reuters on Tuesday. He said he had prayed daily for the boys with his family.

 

He urged them to tell their stories only once they were ready.

 

"I hope one day, in a few years, they will be able to tell their story because, like ours, it's a story of faith and hope," he said.

 

Nine miners, including Urzua, are taking legal action in Chile against two lawyers they accuse of defrauding them over the rights to a book and a Hollywood film starring Antonio Banderas.

 

One of the lawyers, Remberto Valdes Hueche, said in an email on Tuesday that he continued to work with the majority of the previously trapped miners and the fraud accusation made by the nine was "without substance."

 

A Chilean judge ruled that there was not enough evidence to determine the cause of the San Jose accident and no-one was ultimately held responsible.

 

MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

Urzua, who now works for Chile's national mining and geological service as a motivational speaker, said many of the 33 miners still suffer from mental health problems and could not work.

 

"Almost every miner has psychological issues: they don't sleep or feel well. It's not well-known in Chile but they are in despair," he said.

 

Since the news emerged two weeks ago that the Thai soccer team was trapped, several of the miners have followed each development online and through the international media. For one of their number, tracking the rescue proved too much to bear.

 

"I have been suffering from anxiety and have returned to my therapist today," Omar Reygadas told Reuters.

 

Jorge Galleguillos, another of "Los 33," as the group is known in Chile, recalled how he had emerged to global celebrity, and was invited to Hollywood, the Vatican, Israel and the Chilean presidential palace.

 

"Everything changes," the 64-year-old told Reuters. "In the moment, everyone is talking about you - in the press, on television, you are front page news everywhere - and then ... nothing."

 

"So many promises were made to us and then we were abandoned. Now we are forgotten. I hope the same does not happen to them."

 

(Reporting by Aislinn Laing; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Rosalba O'Brien)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-11

Good advice, though it is going to be tough. As we all know, the Thai Press have absolutely no morals or decency whatsoever and have already been found using dirty tricks at the site to try to get a story. The authorities are doing the right thing keeping them away from the melee at the moment. The boys have shown immense mental strength thus far, though the relief of being safe will probably bring home some very raw emotions. As the miner said, they should be given the time to recuperate and tell their stories only when they are ready.

“Chile miners urge rescued Thai boys to be wary of new-found fame.”

Not to worry. As anyone can tell you, Thai males are raised to be very humble and are never tempted to act as though they are entitled. 

to say the least the older boys are going to be very popular with the girls at school.

The lawyers and polititians are already putting on their fake smiles and false handshakes. The kids would be better off shutting them out of their life. 

4 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

to say the least the older boys are going to be very popular with the girls at school.

Or with the other boys at school, this being Thailand and all...

6 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Good advice, though it is going to be tough. As we all know, the Thai Press have absolutely no morals or decency whatsoever and have already been found using dirty tricks at the site to try to get a story. The authorities are doing the right thing keeping them away from the melee at the moment. The boys have shown immense mental strength thus far, though the relief of being safe will probably bring home some very raw emotions. As the miner said, they should be given the time to recuperate and tell their stories only when they are ready.

Agree for them to be wary of the press (both Thai and International), but IMO their troubles will start when the money gets to the table. Already films and documentaries are being discussed. Unsure of their backgrounds, but if from poor families temptations are going to be there and they will be ripe for the con.

 

And with no disrespect to lawyers up there in Chiang Rai, I would doubt if they are up to the task to protect their rights. Perhaps it would be a good idea for any donations given to them or their families to seek a good lawyer in Bkk and pool the donations for that purpose?

 

As for the mental issues, hopefully with their young age they can overcome these better than the adults in Chile. But I have no idea how that works, I would expect on an individual basis. Jubilation when they were found, elation when they all got out and now we (they) are in phase 3 which is returning to normality. I don't envy any of them.

I don't think fame and fortune will be on the kid's minds (that will be other's who can benefit). I reckon they will be happy just to get back to school and play footy again.

No doubt the media attention and the ambulance chasers are going to be circling these kids.  Hopefully there's a decent lawyer out there who will step up and represent these kids and their families.  As we adults well know, there's going to be absurd amounts of money promised that will be totally bogus.  There's not a doubt in my mind, a lot of unscrupulous  people are already talking to their family members.  And these kids don't have a prayer.  

Danger and opportunity. They could set themselves and their families up for life now or they could set themselves up for total ruin. Their situation is actually more like child movie stars than the Chilean miners because of their very young ages. The miners were already miners. These boys are all potential. Now that they've survived their lives are likely to be very different than what they would have otherwise been. Yes they do need expert guidance but from where I'm not sure.

 

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I don't think fame and fortune will be on the kid's minds (that will be other's who can benefit). I reckon they will be happy just to get back to school and play footy again.

Maybe not right away but you're naive if you think the subject won't come up.

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Not sure. Alot will depend on the mindset of the parents. If they are mostly poor, the risks may be higher as they would be in any country. Someone will need to help them. A prominent, honest Thai lawyer (of which there are not likely to be many). As someone else said, for the boys, they are mostly too young anyway to benefit either from money or the advances of the girls awaiting them. Too bad

While they are being kept away from tv and contact is restricted with family for health reasons seemingly I can’t help but think someone in charge somewhere is keeping that going till they get a deal for the exclusive interview on a prime tv show here. Obviously that person wouldn’t be trying to set that up for his or her own good and would only be looking out for the boys ?

Get real. Various people are going to make a lot of money stemming from this incident for a long time to come. That's the way of the world like it or not. Yes hopefully some good people will step up and guide the boys families on how they can benefit too. I realize this may be very crass but it would be even more so if others unrelated to the incident get paid and the boys just get exploited. May as well face the harsh reality of that openly.

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On 7/11/2018 at 9:43 AM, NCC1701A said:

to say the least the older boys are going to be very popular with the girls at school.

Due to their cave exploration experience.