Visiting the border town at the centre of the Thai cave rescue

Tham Luang Forest Park is located in Mae Sai, in the far north of Chiang Rai Province. PHOTO: RONAN O'CONNELL
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

MAE SAI (THAILAND) - I am standing in the grounds of a Buddhist temple, at the entrance to a dark cave, when I hear a male voice from behind me. "They say that cave goes all the way from Thailand to Myanmar."

I turn around to be greeted by a Swiss monk who is living here at Wat Tham Pha Chom, an ancient Thai temple located just 200m from the Ruak River, which forms a natural border between Myanmar and Thailand's Chiang Rai Province.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.