Garlands, certificates, thanks and visa extensions greet Koh Tao hero divers!

 

Picture (2): Sanook

 

Local government turned out in force at Surat Thani airport last night to greet two foreign Koh Tao divers instrumental in the rescue of the 12 boys and their coach from the Tham Luang cave.

 

Nikko Passi, (name transliterated from Thai) from Denmark, who works at "Koh Tao Diver" and Canadian Eric Richard Brown from "Hydronaut Diving" volunteered to help in Chiang Rai on July 2nd.

 

Yesterday following the successful conclusion of their mission they were greeted at the airport by a huge crowd led by Surat Thai governor Wichawut Jinto.

 

 

He offered the heartfelt thanks of the Thai people giving them framed certificates, garlands and flowers.

 

They were then whisked off to an arranged hotel before they were due to go back to Koh Tao by speedboat today.

 

Wichawut also said that he would make sure that both divers got a one year visa extension.

 

The same privileges will also be extended to Evan Karadic from Denmark who also went from Koh Tao to Chiang Rai to help.

 

In addition the governor said that a diving course at the state's expense will be organised for the 12 boys and their coach on Koh Tao.

 

He called the island a world center for diving.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-07-13

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

In addition the governor said that a diving course at the state's expense will be organised for the 12 boys and their coach on Koh Tao.

 

He called the island a world center for diving.

Nice gesture all round and good to see all the divers are being recognised.

I suspect though that some of those boys might never want to go near water ever again. The dive they made probably scared the wits out of them.

Not too sure about doing it on Koh Tao either. It does have the nickname Island of Death, after all. The wild boars have had a close enough run in with that already.

Mikko's wife spent their 8th wedding anniversary buying him a plane ticket to get there from Malta to help, too.

Mikko Paasi from Finland

 

https://lovinmalta.com/news/news-human-interest/malta-based-scuba-instructor-part-of-daring-mission-to-rescue-thai-boys-from-cave

"He called the island a world center of dying" ... ups, sorry world center of diving

Of course the ones that came here got a 5 year visa with the Elite card.