Governor who led heroic cave rescue mission dies at 58

He was suffering from colon cancer and died at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok. His funeral will be held at Wat Phra Si Mahathat in Bang Khen district.

Narongsak, who was lauded for his role in the mission that helped rescue the 13 members of the Wild Boar football team trapped in the Tham Luang Cave from June 23 to July 10, 2018 when he was Chiang Rai governor, was given the epithet “Wild Boar Governor’ by media outlets.

Narongsak was born on June 1, 1965, in Plaeng Yao district of Chachoengsao province in the eastern part of Thailand.

He graduated with a bachelor of engineering from Kasetsart University and a master's in Geodetic Science and Surveying from Ohio State University in the US.

He served as a director of the Office of Mapping Technology and survey engineering consultant of the Department of Lands. He also served in a leading position in various bodies like the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency and the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

He was appointed Chiang Rai governor in 2017, but even though he was transferred in months before the cave event, he was allowed to continue as caretaker until the rescue mission was completed.

He was the recipient of the 2018 Asia Game Changer Award by Asia Society after the rescue mission. Speaking at the award ceremony in New York, Narongsak said: “I hope this experience inspires people to start living for others. That would be a game-changer for the world."

After that, he became the governor of Phayao province in 2018 and played an outstanding role in tackling pollution problems caused by particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter.

In 2019, he was appointed the governor of Lampang province where he was successful in convincing the locals to get vaccinated during the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2021, he was appointed the governor of Pathum Thani province.