Race against time

The navy has raised the possibility that the 13 could be in the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province until the flood waters recede, at the end of the rainy season in four months.



But others say the boys could be out in a matter of days if the weather is on their side and water can be pumped out of the cave complex, and if they can be taught to use scuba gear.



Kobchai Boonarana, deputy director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation department, said it was up to the rescue team in the cave to decide whether and when the boys would be strong enough to tackle the journey out.



"Their conditions, we can see that their morale is good but what about their strength and their ability? That's up to the team inside to decide," Kobchai told reporters on Thursday.



"Our job is to keep pumping out water and it is up to the team inside to assess the safety level and whether the kids can travel safely through," he said.



Major General Chalongchai Chaiyakum, deputy commander of the Third Army Region, said it takes rescuers 11 hours to do a round-trip from the cave's entrance to the group and back again, working against water currents inside the cave.



Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said the group did not have to be brought out of the cave at the same time.

"We are assessing weather conditions, if it rains and water level rises, how many hours, days do we have?" he said.

