After more than two weeks, the joint rescue operation between Thai and international diving experts to find and rescue the Wild Boars football team trapped in Tham Luang cave has proved successful. The mission has also served as a major lesson for several groups involved, not least the media itself.
The mainstream Thai media's coverage of the cave rescue operation should provoke a degree of introspection and I hope every journalist involved takes at least a moment to review their role when it comes to reporting on such incidents. This past week should stand as a reminder that yes, the media must make getting the facts right its first priority, but it must also show sensitivity to the victims of a disaster and the people involved in trying to put things right. However, this time the Thai media got their priorities wrong as they raced to be the first to report on each new development.
Soonruth Bunyamanee is acting editor, Bangkok Post.
