What we know so far – the rescue resumes

The press briefing has now finished. Here’s what we learned:

• The rescue operation to extract more boys began on Monday at 11am (5am BST). The same divers who went in on Sunday have been called upon again, but there are no reports on their progress.

• Officials said that conditions were as good as they were on Sunday, when the first four boys were extracted. They said that the rain yesterday did not affect water levels inside the cave.

• Officials suggested that the stronger boys would be rescued first and that they could emerge between 7.30pm and 8.30pm local time.

• Authorities complained about some of yesterday’s media coverage, saying a drone was flown above the operation. They also claimed media outlets listened to police radio reports.

• Consideration is also being made about whether parents should be allowed to see the boys who have already been rescued, potentially through a glass door. There must be no physical contact with the boys until the results of blood tests come back. The four boys in hospital are asking to eat pad kra pao (Thai basil chicken).

Somboon Sompiangjai, 38, the father of one of the trapped boys, has told Reuters that parents were told by rescuers ahead of Sunday’s operation the “strongest children” would be brought out first.

“We have not been told which child has been brought out ... We can’t visit our boys in hospital because they need to be monitored for 48 hours,” Somboon told Reuters. It is unclear how this fits with reports from the Thai health official, that parents would be able to visit their sons tonight.

“I’m hoping for good news today,” said Somboon.

On Sunday, four members of the "Wild Boar" team were successfully brought out from the cave, after authorities decided they had to rush ahead with a rescue operation to beat monsoon rains.

They were guided by expert divers who plotted the hours-long escape through more than four kilometres of twisting passageways and flooded chambers.

Rescue chief Narongsak Osottanakorn on Sunday said four of the team -- affectionately dubbed by Thai social media Wild Boars 1, 2, 3, 4 -- were "safe" and said the extraction effort would likely resume early Monday.

They had also declined to reveal the identities of the four who had been hauled out.

But speaking in Bangkok, Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda said the four pulled from the cave "are strong and safe" and in the care of doctors.

6:45pm - The father of one of the trapped boys says parents haven't been told which four boys have been rescued so far.

Somboon Sompiangjai told Reuters that he and other parents were told by rescuers ahead of Sunday's rescue that the "strongest children" would be taken out first.

"We have not been told which child has been brought out," he says.

"We can't visit our boys in hospital because they need to be monitored for 48 hours."

This seems to contradict Dr Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong's claim that family will be able to visit their sons in hospital tonight.

kiwiincambodia wrote: ↑Mon Jul 09, 2018 6:37 pmCould you imagine what it would be like if only 1 or 2 had to wait the night out after the rest have gotten out.