Bangkok – Construction for a museum to commemorate the dramatic rescue of a dozen teenage boys and their football coach from a cave in northern Thailand began on Thursday, local media reported.
With a budget of 10 million baht (300,300 dollars), the museum is funded and designed by Chalermchai Kositpipat, Thailand’s national artist, and a native of Chiang Rai province, where the cave is located.
Chalermchai told a local TV station that the construction of the museum, consisting one main building and a toilet complex in front of the cave, is expected to take four to five months.
Chalermchai is best known for his design of Wat Rong Khun, also known as the White Temple a major tourist attraction in Chiang Rai.
A statue of Saman Kunan, a former Thai SEAL officer who died while placing oxygen tanks in the cave, the only casualty during the 19-day search and rescue mission is being sculpted and will be placed in front of the museum when completed.
On June 23, 12 boys aged 11-16 and their 25-year-old coach visited Tham Luang-Khun Nam Nang Non Cave, north of Bangkok, and was trapped inside as a flash flood blocked their only exit.
They were rescued in Thailand’s biggest ever rescue operation involving thousands of people from many countries.
On July 25, most of the group members entered brief monkhood, as an act to show gratitude for their rescue.
The boys will come out of their nine-day monkhood on Saturday, while their coach is expected to remain a monk for at least three more months.
