The Tham Luang cave complex in northern Thailand, where 12 boys and their football coach remained trapped for more than two weeks due to floods, is set to be turned into a museum.
Quoting rescue officials, local media reported that the museum would showcase how the operation unfolded in the Tham Luang cave.
It will be a “major attraction” for Thailand, an official old BBC.
As of now, the area is largely undeveloped with only limited tourism facilities. However, with the international attention on the rescue mission and the collaborated effort putting the cave on the world map and generating a lot of interest, Thai officials told the media that plans were in place to develop the place into a tourist destination.
READ: Thai cave rescue ops ends in complete success, 12 boys and coach evacuated
“This area will become a living museum, to show how the operation unfolded,” the head of rescue mission, Narongsak Osottanakorn, told a news conference, adding that an interactive database would be set up too.
However, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has said precautions would have to be implemented both inside and outside the cave to safeguard tourists, according to media reports.
At least two companies are also looking to make a film telling the story of the rescue.
READ | Everything you want to know about the Tham Luang cave system
Meanwhile, with the rescue mission over and the site cleared, local authorities have said the cave would be closed from Thursday, without mentioning for how long.
The rescued group is recovering in hospital. A video has been released showing them in good health, though they will stay quarantined for a week. The Thai Navy SEALs have also published dramatic footage of the operation, showing how expert divers brought the Wild Boar football team to the surface.
The 12 boys aged 11-17 and their 25-year-old coach had entered the cave on June 23, but found themselves trapped inside after heavy rains flooded the complex. They were located by expert British divers after nine days, and were eventually rescued over three days starting 9 July. The operation involved dozens of divers and hundreds of other rescue workers.
The Tham Luang cave, one of the largest cave systems in Thailand, lies under the Doi Nang Non mountain range which straddles Chiang Rai and Mae Sai districts of the country’s Chiang Rai province on the border with Myanmar.
(With agency inputs)