Last Updated on October 6, 2026 by Jeff Tomas
CHIANG RAI – Search an Rescue officials have officially closed the rescue center at Tham Luang-Khun Nam Nang Non National Park. Governor Chucheep Pongchai announced the end of the mission on October 5, 2026. This came after search teams safely located the third and final missing person. All three missing individuals have now returned to their families.
The group originally went missing on October 3, 2026. They had entered the steep Doi Jong forest area to search for wild goods. Rescue teams quickly found two of the individuals on October 4. However, they had to continue a massive search effort for the last missing man, 39-year-old Thanong Bunyod.
Key Takeaways:
- Rescue teams successfully found all three people missing in the Chiang Rai forest.
- The final missing man, 39-year-old Thanong Bunyod, was rescued on October 5.
- Governor Chucheep Pongchai has officially closed the joint rescue command center.
Many local and national groups joined forces for this intense rescue mission in northern Thailand. The province quickly set up a special command center to organize the massive effort. Teams included the military, border patrol police, national park officers, and local rescue groups. These dedicated teams worked around the clock to find the missing men.
The rescuers faced very tough outdoor conditions on the steep mountains. To help cover more ground, they used special heat-detecting drones. These advanced tools allowed them to search the dense, dark forest areas from high above the tree line.
Governor Ends Mission
Late on October 4, drone cameras spotted a heat signal in the dark forest. Search teams hiked within 20 meters of the spot but could not find anyone. Because of the difficult terrain, they decided to pause the search until morning. The rested teams went back into the dangerous area at 7:00 AM the very next day.
Around 1:00 PM on October 5, workers finally found Thanong safe but very tired. Officials immediately gave him food and water to help him get his strength back. Afterward, they carefully guided him down the steep mountain to a safe drop-off point.
From there, he traveled to a local center in Ban Pha Mee for his medical checks.
Medical staff gave Thanong basic first aid when he finally reached the bottom. His 58-year-old mother, Pin-kaew Raiphuttha, hugged him tightly and cried with extreme joy. She told reporters that she had prayed nonstop for his safe return.
She also deeply thanked all the brave officials and volunteers who helped bring her beloved son home.
Following the safe return of all three men, Governor Chucheep officially ended the mission. He thanked all the brave volunteers, officials, and local citizens who offered their support. Finally, the governor asked the general public to be very careful when entering steep forest areas.
Visitors must strictly follow park rules to stay safe and avoid dangerous accidents in the future.
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