MEDITATING MONK RESCUED FROM THAI CAVE
Manas Kemgoh currently warded in hospital with slight fever
RESCUE divers have freed a meditating Buddhist monk from a flooded Thai cave in scenes that echoed the high-profile 2018 rescue of a trapped boys’ football team.
Manas Kemgoh, 46, was on a pilgrimage when he entered the Phra Sai Ngam cave in Phitsanulok
province, in the country’s north, on Saturday to meditate.
The monk, wearing only simple brown robes, was trapped inside the cave by severe flooding, until rescuers were able to reach him.
“The rescue foundation was informed on (Tuesday)... by an abbot that a monk was missing and he suspected that he had gone into a cave to meditate,” rescue worker Weerapong Jaighum
said yesterday.
A team of divers were sent out on Tuesday, but quickly ran into trouble.
“A lot of stalactites inside the cave made it difficult for divers’ rescue operation,” he said, adding that heavy rainfall eventually forced them to abandon the search.
On Wednesday, they mounted a second rescue operation, involving 100 people.
A small team reached the monk and wrapped him in a foil survival blanket to keep him warm while they checked the monk’s
state of health.
“The water level receded on the second day, so we didn’t have to use water pumps to pump out trapped water inside the cave,” Weerapong said.
He said the monk had swimming skills, had previously been diving and was able to cope well with the rescue.
The monk is now in a hospital with a slight fever and health workers will continue to monitor his condition.
The case drew comparisons with the extraordinary saga of the “Wild Boars” football team that
captivated the world three years ago.
After an 18-day ordeal, the 12 young boys and their coach emerged safely from Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand after a rescue mission involving foreign expert divers and the Thai navy.
The “Wild Boars” team became global celebrities and have since toured the world.
The rescue mission has also attracted filmmakers eager to capture the dramatic operation onscreen — with Netflix nabbing the rights to tell the story.