13 people trapped in cave will be ordained

CHIANG RAI, July 18 (TNA) -- Twelve young footballers and their coach who had been trapped in Tham Luang cave of Chiang Rai province for nearly three weeks will be ordained at Wat Phra That Doi Tung. Phra Khru Prayut Jetiyanukarn, acting abbot of the temple in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai, told the Thai News Agency that the Chiang Rai ecclesiastical governor approved the ordination at Wat Phra That Doi Tung and later all the ordained people would stay at Wat Phra That Doi Wao. According to the acting abbot, the 12 boys aged 11-16 will remain as novices for 13 days to mark the number of the trapped people. Their football coach Ekkapol Chanthawong, 25, will be a monk for 18 days to mark the period when they were stranded in Tham Luang. Phra Khru Prayut said the ordination date had yet to be set pending the readiness of the 13 people who were about to be discharged from their hospital. However, the ordination would occur before July 28 which is the Buddhist Lent Day. Wat Phra That Doi Tung was chosen for the ordination because it stands on the same mountain range next to Tham Luang and Doi Tung mountain is the highest point of Chiang Rai. (TNA)