Saman Kunan

Saman Kunan (Thai: สมาน กุนัน; December 23, 1980 – July 6, 2018)^[2] was a Thai Navy SEAL. After leaving the Navy, he worked as a security guard at Suvarnabhumi Airport. He died during the Tham Luang cave rescue operation, earning him the title of 'Tham Luang Hero'.^[3] Saman was posthumously awarded the Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, one of the country's highest honors, by King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

In honor of his sacrifice, several monuments and sculptures have been erected to commemorate his contributions. These tributes serve as lasting symbols of respect and admiration for his courage and impact on the region.^[4] He is featured in a large mural titled "The Heroes", which has been installed in the new memorial hall at the entrance of the Tham Luang cave.^[5]

Saman Kunan was born on December 23, 1980 in Chaturaphak Phiman. He is the son of Vichai and Samran Kunan. He attended the Naval Academy School and joined the Underwater Demolition Assault Unit, also known as the Thai Navy SEALs. Saman resigned from the unit in 2006 to work for Airports of Thailand PCL as a security guard at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.^[6][7] He was married to Valeepoan Kunan.^[8] An athletic person, Saman was also an experienced triathlete, and a member of Nich-100Plus, a well-known Thai cycling team.^[9] He also practiced kayaking^[10] and hiking.^[11]

In June and July 2018, Saman was a volunteer diver in the Tham Luang cave rescue, an international rescue operation to extract 12 boys and their football coach trapped in Tham Luang Nang Non, a large cave system beneath the Doi Nang Non mountain. On the evening of 5 July, Saman and a diving partner entered the cave to place oxygen tanks along a planned exit route.^[12] On his way back, Saman ran out of air himself. His diving partner pulled him out of the water and performed CPR on Saman, but he did not regain consciousness. Saman was pronounced dead on 6 July, around 01:00 local time.^[13] Later that day, his body was moved out of the cave, brought to the Mae Fah Luang - Chiang Rai Airport and flown to the U-Tapao Airport, near Bangkok, to receive the royal funeral.

On 7 July at 11:30, a funeral ceremony was held at the Roi Et Airport. A petty officer first class upon leaving the Navy, King Vajiralongkorn posthumously promoted Saman to lieutenant commander, an unprecedented rise of seven ranks.^[1] He was also awarded the Knight Grand Cross (first class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant.^[1]

On 14 July, Saman received a royal-sponsored cremation at the Wat Ban Nong Khu in the Roi Et province. The ceremony was attended by thousands of people.^[14]

In India, a sand sculpture of Lieutenant Commander Saman was created as a tribute to honor his bravery and contributions.^[15] Iker Casillas, a former goalkeeper for the Spanish national team, who posted a photo of Saman on his Instagram and expressed his admiration.^[16]

On July 12, 2018, a charity was organized in Phayao province to raise funds for the family of Navy Lieutenant Saman. Approximately 500-700 people participated in the event, which raised over 200,000 baht in donations.^[17]

On July 26, 2018, a special football match was held at the Rajamangala Stadium to raise funds for his family. Six teams participated in the event, including Caravane, the Sports Authority of Thailand, the Royal Thai Naval Academy, the Naval Special Warfare Command, Mangpa Lo Klun [th], and the National Institute of Development Administration.^[18]

A memorial site has been established in the vicinity of Tham Luang, which has become a major tourist attraction.^[19][20] The site has brought together over 300 fellow artists from Chiang Rai to create paintings and photographs for a multipurpose pavilion.^[19]

After he became a national hero, a bronze statue of him, designed by renowned national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, was erected outside the Tham Luang cave. He is one of the key figures depicted in the film The Cave. Following a screening of the movie, his family was presented with THB 100,000.^[21]

In July 2019, the Airports of Thailand (AOT) established a large building named the Lt. Cdr. Saman Kunan Building in his honor. A 1.9-meter-wide by 2-meter-long bas-relief sculpture standing 2 centimeters high was installed in the building as a tribute.^[22]

In 2022, the Hollywood biographical survival film Thirteen Lives was released, in which he was portrayed by actor Sukollawat Kanarot.^[23]

• 2018 - Knight Grand Cross (first class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant