The ordeal facing the 12 young footballers and their coach trapped in Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai seems to have spurred a spirit of volunteerism across the country. Eight bird nest collectors from Ko Libong in Trang’s Kantang district have arrived in Chiang Rai Saturday afternoon to volunteer to join the search operations.
Mr. Alifen Thetnam, village headman of Village 7 in Tambon Ko Libong, told the media after arriving at the cave that their experience in scaling caves to collect bird nests in the southern province for the past 30 years could be useful for the rescue operation.
The group boarded a flight in Hat Yai and arrived at Chiang Rai airport before taking a car ride to Tham Luang cave in Mae Sai district so they could start work immediately.
Meanwhile, doctors who have experience in scuba diving have been put on stand-by to dive into the cave to provide medical treatment or rehabilitation to the survivors in case they are found, Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn disclosed on Saturday afternoon.
He said the medical team would bring with them special foods similar to those used by astronauts to be provided to survivors.
He also said the Navy Seal rescue team had already covered 300 metres of the so-called third chamber and had pitched markers along their path to provide guidance for support team which will follow them into the chamber.
Also, the team had placed bottled oxygens at every 25 metres just in case other divers need additional oxygen or in case the survivors may need them in emergency situation, said the governor.
He added that there were positive developments today with more water being drained out of the cave and water in the cave has become clearer, meaning that no new water from the outside flowed into the cave.
