13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

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Gaybutton
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Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by Gaybutton »

Geezer wrote:The boys can be given citizenship with a simple stroke of the pen via section 44.
I doubt it would be done that way, given the number of other stateless children. I don't mean to come across as callous, but granting citizenship to some children, but not others, solely on the basis of having been trapped in a cave hardly seems fair to me.

What I think can be done, and likely will be done, is issuing some sort of travel documents that will allow the team to accept their invitations.
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Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by Undaunted »

A certain someone without red tape can just make it happen for the coach and the boys!
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
Josan

Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by Josan »

SOOOO Right!
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Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by Captain Swing »

Protecting the boys from the media didn't last long. I just saw an "interview" with "Titan" and his father on ABC News (US), and there are pictures of his family reunion on other sites too.
fedssocr1

Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by fedssocr1 »

yep. I saw that interview too. And footage of the boys at the temple ceremony. I hope the reporter and his crew are deported.

I would not be surprised if the rest of the team goes without the stateless boys/coach. I'd guess those kids would tell their friends that they should go and enjoy themselves as they wouldn't want to be the reason the others couldn't go. Then it would be down to some sort of vote I suppose. I could see it going either way.

Preseason tours by the big European teams happen all around the world. There's a stupid preseason tournament that happens across the USA every summer called the International Champions Cup. Some people have more money than sense, but it's their money. Those big teams do often visit Asia as well. So it's not beyond the realm of possibility that there would be a game in Bangkok. It's all about branding and cashing in on the global demand for these teams.
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Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by fountainhall »

fedssocr1 wrote:I would not be surprised if the rest of the team goes without the stateless boys/coach.
I wonder how you invite a team to youth soccer tournaments in Lisbon and Barcelona with less than a full team and without an Assistant Coach. That's very different from merely flying boys over to attend one match.

I'm guessing but I can't believe the Lisbon and Barcelona authorities will be interested in part of a team with some substitutes who were not in the cave. That greatly devalues the PR value of the boys being flown over and invited to take part. And with only the boy who speaks English being stateless, media conferences around their visit will be a bit of a damp squib.

Also, Manchester United will certainly wish to parade the boys on the pitch either before the match or at the interval. The Thai authorities will know full well that if only 9 of the 13 are present, some in the media are going to ask difficult questions.
fedssocr1

Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by fedssocr1 »

there are other team members who were not in the cave. So it's quite possible they have enough players to field a team or could find enough players.

But I was thinking more along the lines of going to attend games like at Old Trafford than the notion they would play games.
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Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by Gaybutton »

fedssocr1 wrote: I hope the reporter and his crew are deported.
I agree. I thought it was rather disgusting, especially with brilliant questions such as, "Are you happy to be out?" What did the reporter expect the boy to say, "No, I wish I was still in there."?

I'm interested in how the boys are getting on now too, but it is far more important to let these boys return to as normal a life as possible rather than satisfying the curiosity of the public, especially with moronic questions.
fountainhall

Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by fountainhall »

fedssocr1 wrote: I was thinking more along the lines of going to attend games like at Old Trafford than the notion they would play games.
I fully understand. But in the brutal reality of the our world, it is unlikely Manchester United made the offer without considering the PR value to the Club. And I reckon their PR people will consider how much "value" will be lost if they only have 9 rather than 13.

Also being realistic, assuming there is some way they can all go - temporary Thai passports? temporary UN passports? whatever - I cannot see the boys making three separate trips to Europe. So seeing matches at Manchester United (and probably also Leicester City since it is Thai-owned) would be added on to one of the weeks in Lisbon or Barcelona.

But just my guess.
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Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by Captain Swing »

I think you're perhaps just a tad premature in planning out their whole itinerary for them. But you're absolutely right that PR is the prime consideration for the European clubs. I fear it is only the second most important consideration for the Thais. This might be my natural cynicism coming out, but I'm afraid the first consideration will be money--who benefits for what and how much. I think citizenship issues will magically disappear if it's worth enough to somebody (and I truly have no idea who). And for starters I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Titan's father has, say, a shiny new pickup truck.
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