Thai FM thanks all int'l teams, volunteers towards "mission possible" at "Tham Luang"

BANGKOK, July 12 (TNA) - Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai has expressed his gratitude, on behalf of the government and all Thai people, to all foreign teams and volunteers for their full support and hospitable assistance towards the "mission possible" in getting all 12 trapped young Thai soccer players and their coach out of a deep, massively-inundated cave in the Thai North safely. Speaking at a press conference held at his ministry in Bangkok on July 11, Don said that the successful mission to rescue all the 13 members of the "Thai boars academy" safely out of the Tham Luang Cave in the compound of the Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park in the northern Thai Chiang Rai Province showed full cooperation and collaboration of all public and private parties, particularly those coming from allied countries. "The over two-week mission recently was a significant international humanitarian mission that was closely followed up worldwide and connected Thailand to the world and the world to Thailand through the present globalization system with a hearty impression and appreciation", the minister acknowledged. The Thai foreign minister extended a sincere gratitude, in particular, to all international competent divers who involved in the acute hardship to find and rescue safely all the 13 young Thai footballers, including a 38-year-old diving hero, former member of Thai Navy SEAL Petty Officer First Class Saman Kunan, who lost his life during the perilous rescue process. "Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has officially sent a letter to express his gratefulness to all seven allied countries that sent specialists and needed equipment and materials to support the rescue mission as requested by the Thai government, while the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs is sending letters to all other dozens of countries whose volunteers, tools and compassionate offers were honorably part of the rescue process", the minister stated. The Thai minister also extended his sincere thankfulness and appreciation to all other officers, volunteers and locals, including those preparing food and providing cleaning, laundering and medical services during the 17-day mission, as well as local farmers who have given their farmlands as drainage basins of waterflows pumped out from the cave. The minister vowed that his ministry is willingly ready to take best care of all international experts and volunteers who heartily took part in the rescue mission and want to stay longer in Thailand for their relaxing holidays, while those who were returning to their home countries were honorably seen off by officials from the Bureau of the Royal Household. "The historic Tham Luang incident was a useful and impressive lesson for Thailand and for international cooperation and collaboration in a disaster mitigating mission. The Thai government is indebted to the wholehearted hospitality of all parties", stressed the Thai foreign minister. (TNA)