21-6-2023 (BANGKOK) Narongsak Osotthanakorn, the esteemed former Chiang Rai governor who gained worldwide recognition for his exceptional leadership during the dramatic rescue operation of the “Wild Boars” football team from the treacherous Tham Luang cave in 2018, has sadly succumbed to cancer at the age of 58.
Narongsak, who most recently held the position of governor in Pathum Thani, peacefully passed away at 5:40 pm on Wednesday at Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment.
Throughout his career as a civil servant, Narongsak was renowned for his meticulous and straightforward approach, which occasionally clashed with his superiors at the Interior Ministry. During his tenure as governor of Chiang Rai, spanning 15 months, he courageously refused to endorse certain controversial projects that were presented as economic stimuli due to suspected irregularities.
While a transfer from Chiang Rai to Phayao was already underway, widely perceived as a demotion, fate intervened in the form of a youth football team that became trapped in a flooded cave on June 23, 2018.
As the rescue efforts commenced and drew experts from various nations, along with throngs of journalists, it became evident that a steady hand was required to coordinate the intricate operation. Narongsak rose to the occasion, and the Interior Ministry agreed to postpone his transfer until the mission to extract the 13 individuals from the cave was successfully accomplished.
During the initiation of the rescue mission, Narongsak boldly proclaimed that any officials who felt overwhelmed by the arduous task ahead were free to return home.
“Those unable to make sufficient sacrifices are welcome to depart and be with their families,” he asserted. “You may sign out and leave immediately. I will not report any of you. For those who are willing to work, you must be prepared at any given moment. Consider these trapped boys as if they were our own children.”
Reflecting on the mission’s triumph one year later, Narongsak advocated for an annual commemoration to uphold the memory of their accomplishments.
“I hope to witness a yearly anniversary at Tham Luang Cave, commemorating what we achieved. I want to remember those 18 days when everyone exemplified the power of cooperation,” he expressed.
The Asia Society, in recognition of “The Rescue Team at the Tham Luang Caves,” bestowed upon Narongsak the prestigious Asia Game Changer Award, inviting him to New York to receive the accolade.
He expressed his desire for the rescue to inspire more acts of kindness in the future, stating, “The mission disregarded race or nationality, uniting humanity as a whole. With over 10,000 individuals involved, the absence of even a single contributor would have rendered our success impossible. I hope this entire incident serves as an inspiration for people to start living for others. This small change could be a game-changer for the world.”
In recent times, Narongsak had been courted for larger roles following successful tenures as governor in Phayao, Lampang, and Pathum Thani. The ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) expressed interest in nominating him as their candidate for the Bangkok governor election, yet he politely declined.
“I prefer to continue serving the people in the provinces,” he humbly stated.
Narongsak marks the second individual associated with the Wild Boars ordeal to pass away in recent times. Duangphet “Dom” Phromthep, the 17-year-old captain of the football team, tragically lost his life while training at the Brooke House College Football Academy in Leicester, England.
