THAILAND’S top artists joined hands in creating a 3-meter wide and 13-meter long painting to commemorate the heroic international rescue of 12 soccer boys and their coach from Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai earlier this week, Sanook.com reported today (July 14, 2018).
Led by National Artist Chalermchai Kositpipat and Chiang Rai Artists Association President Suvit Chaipom, the 300 artists today started painting the large sketch which Chalermchai worked out all night last night
It will take them 2 days to complete the work, to be called “The Hero”, but Chalermchai said this would be later expanded to add more heroes.
The special painting is to be displayed at a museum to be built at Tham Luang-Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park.
A sketch has also been made of former Seal Samarn Kunun, or Sam, who died while rescuing the boys and their coach. This will be used by top sculptors to create a 2.4-meter sculpture of him surrounded by the boys.
It will take around 2 months to complete this sculpture which will also be sent to the forest park.
His Majesty the King today posthumously promoted Samran from the rank to petty officer first class to lieutenant commander.
Meanwhile 4,000 volunteers under His Majesty the King’s “We Do Good Things with Heart” program are cleaning the forest park today and tomorrow (July 14-15, 2018) to restore it to its former state and be ready to receive tourists, INN News reported.
The volunteers flocked in after Mae Sai district officials put out an announcement asking for cooperation in improving the forest park’s landscape.
However Mr Thanya Netithamkul, director-general of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, said no one is allowed to go into the cave to clean it until the rainy season ends and the water dries up.
He added that department already had a long-term plan to turn this forest park into a tourist attraction.
CAPTON:
Top: Part of the 13-meter long sketch being painted by 300 artists to commemorate this heroic rescue of the trapped boys and their soccer coach. Photo: Sanook.com
In-test: Cleaning of the forest park underway today. Photo: INN News