13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

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Captain Swing
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Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

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Stateless boys and coach get citizenship:

BANGKOK — Three young soccer players who were trapped with other team members for almost three weeks in a cave in northern Thailand were granted Thai citizenship on Wednesday along with their 25-year-old coach.

All four had been stateless, and their lack of citizenship deprived them of some basic benefits and rights, including the ability to travel outside of Chiang Rai, the northern province where they live. The area is home to ethnic minorities with roots in neighboring Myanmar.

The boys and coach were among 13 people who were trapped in the cave until their dramatic rescue by scuba divers.

Nopparat Kanthawong, the head coach of the Wild Boars team, said they received official Thai ID cards along with another team member who had not been in the cave but also applied for citizenship.

“I’m happy,” he said. “I want to say that football (soccer) can elevate the lives of kids whose families may not be in the best position.”

“If they have Thai citizenship, in the future, if they don’t want to play football they can take exams to become public officials or find good work that is related to their field of studies,” he said.

Nopparat said he submitted documentation on Wednesday to help apply for citizenship for seven other Wild Boar players who are stateless.

The boys given citizenship Wednesday in their home district of Mae Sai had all applied for it before the cave incident, and all were fully qualified for the change in status, said a local official, district chief Somsak Kanakam........


https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/as ... 5817d99678
fedssocr1

Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by fedssocr1 »

that's some new information. I was under the impression that only the 4 were "stateless". But it sounds like basically all of them were
Captain Swing
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Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by Captain Swing »

Maybe you misread. You were right originally: three of the famous twelve, plus the coach, were stateless. Apparently one other member of the team, who wasn't in the cave, was also stateless (but nobody cares about him (joking)). All of them now have Thai citizenship. Several (seven?) other members, not in the cave, have now applied for citizenship, but that is still pending.
fedssocr1

Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by fedssocr1 »

ah, ok. thanks
fountainhall

Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by fountainhall »

Wonderful news! I am so glad the government acted speedily in this.
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Gaybutton
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Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by Gaybutton »

Please don't get me wrong - I truly am very happy for them and now they can accept those foreign invitations if they wish.

However, along with that I also think it is fundamentally unfair to all the other stateless children in that area, and there are many. The only difference between them, as far as I can tell, is the Wild Boar boys got stuck in the cave and the other children didn't. I wish Thailand would grant them citizenship too and I really don't know why Thailand won't.
__________________________________

Stateless ‘Mu Pa’ are now Thai citizens

August 08, 2018

By THE NATION

Four stateless Mu Pa Academy footballers who were rescued from a flooded cave last month on Wednesday officially became Thai citizens.

They attended a naturalisation ceremony held in Chiang Rai province and each of them was given the national identity card.

The four are: Adul Samon, Mongkol Boonpium, Pornchai Khamluang and assistant coach Ekkapol Chantawongse.

They were among 13 members of the Mu Pa football club who went missing in the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district in late June.

They were located and evacuated two weeks later in a multinational operation. Their rescue mission made headlines around the world as the method of evacuating them from the dark and flooded cave was regarded as the first of its kind.

Mae Sai district chief Somsak Kanakham said they were granted citizenship according to the laws. During the ceremony chaired by Somsak, 30 people became Thai citizens.

The births of Adul, Mongkon and Pornchai were registered at Mae Sai and Wiengpankham municipalities and they were granted Thai citizenship after they presented their birth certificate to the district chief.

Ekkapol, who is still in the monkhood, was born at Mae Sai Hospital and has a parent who was born in Thailand.

He was granted citizenship on grounds of his good behaviour and actions that benefited society.

Story and photos: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... l/30351752
windwalker

Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by windwalker »

Undaunted wrote:A certain someone without red tape can just make it happen for the coach and the boys!
How right you are, Undaunted!
Captain Swing
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Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by Captain Swing »

If you can stand another video about the rescue, I think this is the best one yet. It mostly focuses on the Thais involved--the foreign divers aren't slighted, but the Thai officials, rescuers, military, volunteers, and the incredible logistics involved are featured most prominently. Many of the key Thai figures are interviewed more extensively than I've seen before (everything is subtitled in English). There is more, and clearer film from inside the cave, and a number of details I didn't know before. And there are no Western media superstars preening for the cameras. If you're not totally sick of this story, I think you'll find this well worth your time.

windwalker

Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by windwalker »

Excellent video; thanks Captain Swing.
Josan

Re: 13 Thais Missing during Caving Expedition

Post by Josan »

Captain Swing, Thanks ever so much!
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