Thai authorities have received applications from five international and one Thai-based film studios for permission to film a movie about the local boys who had spent 18 days trapped in a flooded cave in Chiang Rai. The Ministry of Culture has established a committee to supervise the planned productions.
Director John M. Chu, one of those seeking to acquire movie rights for the story, is very much concerned that Hollywood might whitewash the film by using a European-looking actor for the protagonist’s role.
On 23 June, a dozen youngsters and their soccer coach climbed down to the Tham Luang Caves. When rainwater flooded the cavern, the group became stranded and was not found until 2 July. The operation lasted eight days, during which time food and oxygen tanks were delivered to the boys by divers. During the rescue, diver Saman Kunan ran out of air and died. By 10 July, all the children and their coach had been rescued.