HM King honours, posthumously promotes ex-Seal Saman
The family of Dom, a member of the Wild Boars, recalls the boy’s cave experience
>> His Majesty the King has posthumously promoted former Navy Seal Saman Gunan, who died during the Tham Luang cave rescue mission, to the rank of lieutenant commander — an unprecedented rise of seven ranks.
The announcement of the promotion of Petty Officer 1st Class Saman was published in the Royal Gazette yesterday before the royally-sponsored cremation took place at Wat Ban Nong Khu in Chatuphak Piman district of Roi Et province.
A large crowd of mourners converged on the temple ground to bid a final farewell to Saman who on July 6 lost consciousness during a dive back to Chamber 3 of the flooded cave and did not recover.
HM the King has also bestowed a royal decoration — Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant — on the late and former naval officer for dedicating his life to the operation.
He had left the Navy to work for Airports of Thailand Plc as a security official at Suvarnabhumi airport and was taking time off from work to help his former Seal colleagues with the rescue mission.
The monarch assigned Privy Councillor Gen Surayud Chulanont to preside over the ceremony at 4pm yesterday. Navy commander Naris Prathumsuwan, senior navy officers and Navy Seals also attended the rite.
Meanwhile, the boys and their coach yesterday greeted the world for the first time from Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital in a video clip released by the Public Health Ministry.
Each of them took turns making a wai and thanking their Thai and international rescuers, as well as the world community, for saving and supporting them. All confirmed that they felt fine and could now eat normal food.
Asked what menus they had in mind now, most chose rice topped with spicy crispy pork and basil ( khao pad krapao moo krob).
Adul, the Myanmar-born player who acted as a translator for his teammates, spoke in Thai and English and showed a sketch he drew of his team in the cave. He said he was looking forward to KFC chicken.
In addition to the rescue teams, coach Ekkapol Chantawong thanked authorities, as well as doctors and nurses at the hospital, for taking good care of him and his players. Health authorities said the 12 footballers and their coach are likely to be discharged from hospital as early as next Thursday if they show no concerning signs.
Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn said the group is in good health both physically and mentally and laboratory results are negative for dangerous infectious diseases. However, Dr Piyasakol said health officials are concerned about two issues after the group is discharged: they are in a recovery phase and they are susceptible to infections; and they may have to speak to the media.
He said the medical and psychiatrist teams have recommended that they spend time with family and friends for at least one month as part of the healing process.
“I’d like the media to be aware of sensitive questions. Make sure you don’t ask anything that might make them feel uncomfortable. If it’s only to benefit your news organisations but not the boys, I suggest media not to ask those questions. Remember we all have to help the boys get back to their normal lives. Do not impose any more stress on them,” said Dr Piyasakol.
He and and health permanent secretary Jedsada Chokdumrongsuk went to Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital to visit the 13 people. “We have advised all patients and their parents to avoid all media exposure because doing so may trigger post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. We ask for cooperation from everyone to ensure that each boy spends time with their family and friends as much as possible,” Dr Piyasakol said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Provincial Administration said three boys and their coach are stateless people and will have to undergo the verification process to be granted Thai citizenship.
Arthit Boonyasopat, the department chief, said the four will have to prove that they were born in Thailand and when they receive the certificates they can apply for Thai citizenship.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has extended his gratitude to a group of 19 farmers who declined to accept state compensation for farmlands flooded during the operation, said government spokesman Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd.
Farmers in four tambons were asked to allow their fields to be flooded by water pumped out of Tham Luang to facilitate the rescue and they would receive a money transfer at 1,113 baht a rai up to 30 rai, he said.
Farm experts would also be sent to the area to give advice on land rehabilitation and the farmers would be given 14 tonnes of two popular rice strains — Khao Thip 105 and Kor Kor 6.
Renowned artist Chalermchai Kositpipat said a sculpture of the former Navy Seal is expected to be completed in two and half months before it is sent for casting in Ayutthaya.
Mr Chalermchai, a native of Chiang Rai and creator of Wat Rong Khun in Muang district, said hundreds of artists are joining hands in creating a large painting depicting the rescue mission which spanned 18 days and involved an international group of divers and volunteers.
Called “The Hero”, the painting, about three metres wide and 13m tall, is expected to be completed in two days. Finishing touches may take 10 days, according to Mr Chalermchai.
It has been a week since the 12 boys and their assistant coach from Moo Paa Academy football team began making it out safely from the deadly Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district. All of them are still in the care of Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital where their treatment will carry on until later this week.
With the boys currently being monitored in isolation, the hospital only allows visits by close members of the family from behind a glass window so it has been impossible for the media to talk to the team members or coach at this point.
At Sai Lom Joy market in Mae Sai along the border where Thailand and Myanmar meet is the location where one of the boys lives.
Even though the parents of the 12 boys have refused to talk to the media, there’s one family that has been more than happy to tell the world about their personal experience of the events that gripped a global audience over the past couple of weeks.
Banpod Konkam, is the 45-year-old uncle of Duangpetch “Dom” Phromthep, the 13-year-old captain of the Moo Paa Academy football team, who raised him since he was young and whom Dom looks up to as a father figure. He gave an interview to the Bangkok Post on Sunday at his house, which also operates as a snacks and souvenir shop in Mae Sai.
Mr Banpod said he has finally been able to get a good night’s sleep now he knows his nephew is in safe hands.
“After two weeks of sleepless nights, I’m was very happy to learn that Dom and his friends were safe. I can’t describe how amazing it’s been to see the support the boys have had from all over the world,” Mr Banpod said, adding that he felt “overwhelmed” by the whole experience.
He first realised that Dom had gone missing at 9pm on June 23 after the boys had gone to the caves after football practice.
He then rushed to the cave entrance to find a local rescue team battling unsuccessfully against rising floodwater to get inside after the boys’ shoes had been found outside.
“I was shocked to see how fast the water was rising inside the cave, and I could only hope that Dom was still alive. The rescue team told me to go home as there was nothing useful I could do at the scene. Obviously, I was unable to eat or sleep properly the whole time that Dom and the boys were trapped in the cave. All I could do was pray they were still alive and hope the rescue team would bring them out safely.”
Also living in the house of eight, is Kamauey Phromthep, Dom’s 64-year-old grandmother who spoke about what the experience had been like for her.
“Dom said he just wanted to relax for an hour after football practice. He told his mother, who is with him at the hospital, that when he went in, everything was pretty normal: the sky was clear and there was no rain at all.
“It was actually a really beautiful day. But while they were inside, the flash flood started to fill the cave. The boys had to run to drier and higher ground. Dom said wherever they could find a new path, they would push on so that they could get further from the rising water,” Ms Kamauey said.
It was a difficult period for the family, especially when international rescue teams were unable to find the boys and their assistant coach in the early days of the search.
After 10 long days, a British diver found the boys, which initially brought feelings of elation. However, the moment of joy didn’t last long.
“As soon as they found the boys, the rescue team told us that they would have to dive everyone out. I was so worried that they wouldn’t be able to handle it since they were weak and had only eaten the snacks they took in over the 10 days. It felt like diving would be almost impossible for them,” Ms Kamauey said.
“I was worried before they brought Dom out from the cave but I placed my full trust in the rescue team since they all were professionals and experts. I believed the mission would be smooth and it went very well,” she added.
Ms Kamauey took out an orange life vest that one of the rescue team members wore during the mission.
It was signed by people from the rescue team to give to Dom as a souvenir when he gets back home.
“I would like to thank the British diver, the Navy Seal, all the foreign volunteers and every Thai official who contributed to the success of the mission.
“Without all of you, my grandson and all the boys wouldn’t have made it out. I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family of Sergeant Sam who sacrificed his life to save all the boys. I also would like to apologise to everyone that my grandson’s rescue troubled. I will teach Dom to grow up to be a good person and contribute to society in order to show his gratitude for the love he got from the whole world,” Ms Kamauey said.
His uncle, Mr Banpod has not been able to visit Dom in person yet due to the restrictions on the number of people who can visit determined by the hospital. However, Dom has nevertheless passed on a special message to him.
“He reminded me not to forget his birthday which passed while he was in the cave. We usually eat moo krata [pork barbecue] once a week and he wants to have that as part of his belated birthday celebration,” Mr Banpod said, laughing.
“Dom is now improving a lot. When he first came out from the cave, he had lost 4 kilogrammes of weight, but since he arrived at the hospital, he has already gained back 1kg from eating proper meals again. He has no symptoms that we have to worry about and he continues to get healthier every day. I’m so proud of him for staying strong. We can’t wait for him to come home,” he added.