Monday's flight schedule of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha tells a tale about the nation. First, he flew to Phuket because of last week's tragic seaborne events. He spoke with hospitalised survivors of two dive boat accidents, and comforted Chinese relatives of some of the 42 known dead and 10 missing. Then he flew to Chiang Rai, where he observed rescue operations at the Tham Luang cave face in Mae Sai district. Following that he visited the eight children who had been extracted and taken to Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital.
There is commonality in these sad and sobering incidents. Both the heavy death toll of tourists and the isolation of the Mae Sai football team and coach were preventable. Not only could both have been prevented, they should have been. The immediate aftermath of both disasters is under way. It is important that there be intensive follow-up in the South and in the North. Otherwise, there will be similar calamities that will needlessly endanger and cost more innocent lives.
The cave of Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park is supposed to close in the rainy season. It is supposed to be staffed. In fact, it is posted with an extremely careless sign -- easy to miss at that -- that doesn't even say the cave is closed. It says there is danger from possible flooding, from July to November. Even if the boys and their coach saw this sign, they entered the cave in June, a week before this sign's warning.
