Unsung hero: Brit Vern Unsworth started the cave rescue

 

"Thanks from the bottom of our hearts" - Image: Thai Rath

 

British national Vern Unsworth who lives in Chiang Rai is being hailed as the man who kick started the successful cave rescue that saw the lives of 12 boys and their coach saved. 

 

Vern was the first to react to the impending disaster as he contacted his buddies in England from the DCRO cave rescue team.

 

He was on hand to brief Robert Harper, Rick Stanton and John Volanthen as soon as they arrived in the north of Thailand. 

 

Vern knew the cave system well having done surveys of the passageways. 

 

Yesterday Thai Rath praised him and published a note showing that he started the operation that eventually led to Mr Stanton and Mr Volanthen being the first to reach the boys.

 

The note said: "Time is running out! They're the world's best cave divers. Please contact them through the UK Embassy ASAP"

 

Vern's indomitable spirit was also encapsulated in a Facebook post on the page of Thapanee Ietsrichai that showed him taping up split boots before getting on with the job and going back in the cave.

 

Thai Rath called him an unsung hero and thanked him for all the work he did. 

 

He is believed to be resident in Chiang Rai.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-07-14

Well done Sir, I hope he gets the recognition he deserves from the appropriate authorities. 

I'm thinking Bruce Willis will play him in the movie.

 

 

The more I read various accounts, the more it becomes clear how many individual efforts played crucial roles, without which any one of them, the incredible success of the rescue may not have happened.  

 

The word "Hero" is so often cheapened but in this case, so many did indeed put their lives on the line and risk it all in the combined effort to rescue those boys...surely heros all.

I hope that Vern also gets given the Elite card as he thoroughly deserves it.

Hats off to the Embassy and various agencies in the UK govt too who are regularly crucified on this website yet who clearly were instrumental in pulling this off (as usual!) without adding to the confusion generated by social media or the media circus.

2 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

I hope that Vern also gets given the Elite card as he thoroughly deserves it.

i say give him citizenship, at least 

As events unraveled he really was the kingpin to the success of the mission by his aggressive suggestions of calling in the experts. Without that insistence it may have ended in success, or probably not, but certainly would have been a very different story.

 

Respects Vern.....................

Fantastic achievement all round !

Great job Vern! My family and I joined Vern on a safe trip into inner space a few years ago, what an amazing place!

 

 

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Vern's heroism will be sung.

Thank you on behalf of human race

1 hour ago, irwinfc said:

i say give him citizenship, at least 

PR wouldn't be too much IMO, assuming he wants it.

Another champion showing us all how to react in a crisis. Well done, thank you sir, you are an inspiration.

'British national Vern Unsworth who lives in Chiang Rai ... ... He is believed to be resident in Chiang Rai'

 

Well either he does live in CR, or he doesn't.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, A Skeptic said:

"Hats off to the Embassy and various agencies in the UK govt too who are regularly crucified on this website yet who clearly were instrumental in pulling this off (as usual!) without adding to the confusion generated by social media or the media circus."

 

What did the UK Embassy and British government do? Do tell. I'm intrigued.

 

This rescue was organized, executed and successfully brought to a conclusion by individuals who co-operated in a way that would be impossible with UK Embassy interferrance. If the embassy could do it's job properly there would be no crucifiction, instead they delegate it to private companies, whose objective is profit, at citizen's considerable expanse. 

 

Boris Johnson, the late unlamented Foreign Secretary on his visit here stated that the embassy "are doing a great job". Wonder why he felt the need to say that? Tell me, is the author of the original statement above the propaganda minister working for the government (like Boris)? 

 

It is tacky and contemptable that the UK government should try to cash in on the magnificent achievments of private citizens of the UK and all other contries involved.

 

 

Well who did Vern give the note to?

Behind every success there are most likely persons involved who were the main key to the success, but very often remain in the dark where other take the fame and this case turned out to be no exception ....

 

Its no doubt that in this operation many heroes were involved, but you seems to be the biggest of them all with your timely and prompt actions which created the basis for the success Mr. Vern Unsworth.

 

Well done Sir!

11 minutes ago, roquefort said:

Well who did Vern give the note to?

Obviously not to the UK embassy, because then he wouldn't write " contact through UK embassy"

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Unsung hero: Brit Vern Unsworth started the cave rescue

It's hard to believe that there's any Brit or other  foreigner involved in the rescue who hasn't yet been "sung" about on Thai Visa. Pretty soon there'll be calls for commemorative coins to be struck and relics to be sold on eBay.

 

Congratulations to ALL those involved. Great that the boys were rescued. Time to stop milking it for all it's worth.

 

 

 

Chiang Rai kids very fortunate that someone as knowledgeable as Vern was living in their midst ... the more I read about this the more incredible the whole event becomes. 

 

Well done Vern, I hope you are revered in your adopted town, you deserve to be.

Vern used to be TT rider before moving onto mountaineering.  I expect for him cave diving seems positively mundane.

I'm sure these folks can easily qualify for citizenship if they apply, since they have a very set of unique skills.

Off topic posts have been removed. 

7 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I'm thinking Bruce Willis will play him in the movie.

 

 

Randolph Scott! Aw naw, he's deid.

6 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

I hope that Vern also gets given the Elite card as he thoroughly deserves it.

Permanent Residency. nothing less.

4 minutes ago, rasg said:

Wouldn't it be good, just for once, that all of the members on this forum could all say something positive for once?

 

I am getting so bored with this place with the general out and out nastiness and spite that is spewed out on a weekly basis.

 

We have no idea just how much the Embassy or the Government actually oiled the wheels on this operation. Nor do I care. Just happy that it was successful and the boys are out.

I think most of us posters would like a bit of a laugh as we have been a bit tense leading up to last Tuesday.

Today's Washington Post published an article explaining how the Yanks led the operation. Excuse me while I vomit.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/time-is-running-out-inside-the-treacherous-rescue-of-boys-trapped-in-thai-cave/2018/07/13/df335afe-8614-11e8-8f6c-46cb43e3f306_story.html?utm_term=.4debc7d18f62

 

7 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I'm thinking Bruce Willis will play him in the movie.

 

 

never say dive.......I'll get my coat

1 hour ago, Suradit69 said:

It's hard to believe that there's any Brit or other  foreigner involved in the rescue who hasn't yet been "sung" about on Thai Visa. Pretty soon there'll be calls for commemorative coins to be struck and relics to be sold on eBay.

 

Congratulations to ALL those involved. Great that the boys were rescued. Time to stop milking it for all it's worth.

 

 

 

 

Indeed, however the tribalism instinct will likely ensure that many people will continue to use this (in retrospect foolhardy) escapade to bask in the warmth of their feelings of belonging. So I suspect the pages of TV will be full of resurrected camaraderie about all this for some time.

 

People, being people, need to feel good about themselves, and some have more reason to do so than others.

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Thank you for the work you have done, truly amazing. You stepped up .... and then some