Praise for Aussie ‘hero of Thai people’

AUSTRALIAN doctor Richard “Harry” Harris has been branded a “hero of the Thai people” for his pivotal role in the rescue operation to save the 12 boys and their soccer coach trapped in a cave.

The 53-year-old South Australian received heartfelt messages of thanks from dozens of Thai nationals on social media yesterday after his work in the rescue was revealed.

The anaesthetist, an experienced cave diver, swam into the cave with a Thai medical team to triage the boys, determining which were fit enough to make the 1.7km swim to the surface and who would go first.

“Thank you so much for helping 12 Thai boys (and) their football coach trapped in the cave. We really appreciate all that you did for Thai people,” one woman wrote on Dr Harris’s Facebook page.

Another called him a “hero of the Thai people”.

One simply wrote: “Thank you very much from us, Thailand”.

Dr Harris is one of 19 Australians assisting the massive international rescue effort, along with Defence Force personnel, six Australian Federal Police divers and a crew of support staff, including a psychologist, a chaplain and an interpreter.

Dr Harris’s boss at SA Ambulance Service’s MedSTAR team described him as “selfless” and “extremely thoughtful”.

“He was actually meant to be on holiday and actually gave up his holiday to be part of this,” Dr Andrew Pearce said.