Nirmala Sitharaman meets Tham Luang cave rescue survivors in Bangkok

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with members of Thailand’s Wild Boars Football Academy in Bangkok, including survivors of the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue. The group included assistant coach Ekapol Chanthawong and Chanin Wibunrungrueang, the youngest of the 12 boys trapped in the cave for 17 days.

Sitharaman described the original rescue as an “extraordinary humanitarian effort” and a testament to international cooperation. During the meeting, she invited the team to visit India, specifically mentioning Bodh Gaya in Bihar and Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh, due to their significance to Theravada Buddhists. The academy members expressed interest in visiting India.