One of the most striking photographs of the week was that showing the young Thai boys – so courageously rescued from that perilous cave – attired as novice Buddhist monks, with shaved heads and in saffron robes.
They are spending a period of time in the monastery attached to the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple as an act of gratitude towards their deliverance; and to honour the soul of Saman Kunan, the former Thai navy Seal who died in the first attempt to reach the young lads.
If this dramatic rescue had happened in the Western world, the boys would be immediate celebrities, appearing on television programmes, perhaps invited to endorse Coca-Cola or a pizza brand, and their family stories published in the tabloid newspapers.
