Australia presents "smart polo shirt" to Thai commanding governor of cave incident

CHIANG RAI, THAILAND, July 13 (TNA) - Australia has presented a "smart polo shirt" to the former governor of Chiang Rai Province in the Thai North, who headed an ad-hoc command center for the recent international rescue mission of 12 young Thai soccer players and their coach who had been trapped in the deep and massively-flooded Tham Luang Cave in the compound of the Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park in the Thai province for more than two weeks. Australian Ambassador to Thailand H.E. Paul Robilliard on Friday presented the "smart polo shirt" to the former Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osottanakorn, who is now the Governor of the northern Thai Phayao Province. The Australian top envoy expressed his appreciation to the former Chiang Rai governor for welcoming a 20-member Australian team to join in the successful international rescue mission. Besides, Canberra praised the practical management of the ad-hoc Thai command center for the recent international rescue mission, headed by the former Chiang Rai governor, and the determined and professional operations of Thai Navy Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) officers. The Australian ambassador said Canberra will send the 20-member Australian team back to Thailand to discuss and exchange information on disaster mitigation efforts for future cooperation between Australian and Thai rescue teams and will jointly celebrate the successful international rescue mission. The Australian top envoy also visited all the 13 young footballers of the Thai wild boars academy at Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital, where they have undergone medical checkups and physical rehabilitation before they will be discharged home, expected in the coming days. The former Chiang Rai governor, in turn, expressed his gratitude to Canberra for sending the team of experienced divers and other specialists, including Dr. Richard Harris, a 53-year-old anaesthetist with his more than 30 years of diving experience who lost his father during the rescue mission, to support the Thai government in the successful mitigation mission of the 13-member young Thai soccer team. The grey "smart polo shirt", honorably received and worn by the former Chiang Rai governor, has the Australian and the Thai national flags on its right sleeve, symbolizing the Australian-Thai cooperation, as well as a symbol in remembrance of former member of Thai Navy SEAL Petty Officer First Class Saman Gunan, who lost his life during the perilous rescue process, on its left sleeve and the word of "Su Su wild boars team!" in both the English and the Thai languages, together with a red kangaroo, the national symbol of Australia, on its back. On July 11, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop made a direct phone call to her Thai counterpart Don Pramudwinai to praise the performance of the Thai government for the recent rescue mission and Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha for paying a personal visit to international rescue teams to boost their morale. (TNA)