Australian Tham Luang cave rescue divers receive Thai Royal decoration

By The Nation

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha, right, shakes hands with Australian cave diver Richard Harris, as fellow Australian cave diver Craig Challen, second from left, looks on, in Bangkok on Friday.

 

Australian cave divers Dr Richard Harris and Dr Craig Challen received The Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn at a ceremony in Bangkok on Friday for their crucial role in the Tham Luang cave rescue of 12 young soccer players and their coach.

 

After attending the ceremony, they also had a meeting Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha.

 

“It’s very exciting, it’s great to be back,” Dr Harris said.

 

“We had no idea at the time of the rescue that this was going to be such a big story.”

 

This was the first time that Drs Harris and Challen had returned to Thailand since their crucial contribution to the rescue of the 12 young Wild Boars soccer players and their coach from the Tham Luang cave complex in Chiang Rai almost a year ago.

 

Harris and Challen were also in January jointly named Australians of the Year – one of that country’s highest honours.

 

The pair will now travel to Chiang Rai and return to the Tham Luang cave site to meet with the soccer team and their families.

 

“That’s really exciting for us to go and see them, and to make sure they’re well and see how they’re doing after the rescue,” Harris said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30367989

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-19

Wouldn't it have been a kick in the nuts if they got rejected at the border by a cranky IO?

 

Edited April 19, 20197 yr by impulse

A thai royal decoration.

And then they met chan-ocha.

Hmmm.

 You courageous men ,and others you gave the wild Boers a new life .You gave them life, all because of your efforts and other rescuers.Well done .. 

 

38 minutes ago, kevvy said:

 You courageous men ,and others you gave the wild Boers a new life .You gave them life, all because of your efforts and other rescuers.Well done .. 

 

And then they met chan-ocha. 

 

I would really love to comment on this. 

Handing out awards is all well and good but the hypocracy is appalling.

If those 12 Thai kids had been sitting in a pick up truck that crashed and killed all onboard it would barely rate a mention in the media.

Just another day of carnage on the roads in LOS.

But they made it to the caves and were rescued in dramatic style that beamed around the world.

It made Thailand look kind and caring towards its agrarian citizens.

Great PR.

End of story.

Edit 

Edited April 20, 20197 yr by holy cow cm

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

I would really love to comment on this. 

can hardly hold myself not to

did these divers have work permits?

The awards are deserved, but one wonders if they will draw this  out until the movie is about to hit the silver screen.

I'm not upto speed on the background of this particular story. Did anyother Non Thai rescuers receive such an award, from Thailand? 

Edited April 20, 20197 yr by Sonhia
Addition

13 hours ago, Nsp64 said:

A thai royal decoration.

And then they met chan-ocha.

Hmmm.

Makes you wonder eh?

I cannot comment on the royal decoration, but having to meet this "PM" afterwards rates as punishment in my book.

5 hours ago, Lucius verus said:

Handing out awards is all well and good but the hypocracy is appalling.

If those 12 Thai kids had been sitting in a pick up truck that crashed and killed all onboard it would barely rate a mention in the media.

Just another day of carnage on the roads in LOS.

But they made it to the caves and were rescued in dramatic style that beamed around the world.

It made Thailand look kind and caring towards its agrarian citizens.

Great PR.

End of story.

This story is about humanity, the people who did not give them up for dead.

15 hours ago, impulse said:

Wouldn't it have been a kick in the nuts if they got rejected at the border by a cranky IO?

 

One way to an inactive post faster than BJ...

On 4/20/2019 at 1:17 AM, Nsp64 said:

A thai royal decoration.

And then they met chan-ocha.

Hmmm.

Hmmm, indeed. I would have thought that a Royal decoration would be presented by a member of Royalty, not a commoner.