For days, the world watched as the Royal Thai Navy worked to rescue 12 boys trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand. One of millions watching was General Motors’ information technology launch manager Ruengrit Changkwanyuen. It just so happened Changkwanyuen is also a dive master.
He volunteered his time and expertise to help rescue the 12 trapped boys and GM CEO Mary Barra has since recognized him for his bravery, the Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday. Changkwanyuen has traveled the world for his work with GM but learned to dive in the Great Lakes in the United States.
He spent most of his time in open waters exploring shipwrecks, but in 2005, he earned the dive master title and began exploring cave diving in 2010. Fortunately, cave diving is exactly the expertise the Royal Thai Navy needed.
“When you break into wreck diving and cave diving, it requires more discipline and planning. Cave diving is very technical,” Changkwanyuen said. Unlike open-water diving, if something goes wrong during cave diving, it’s difficult to resurface and poses a new set of challenges.
Changkwanyuen first volunteered as an equipment specialist and consultant for the Navy SEAL time, but he then transitioned to a liaison and coordinator for dive teams from the U.S. Navy, China and Australia. He called it a major relief when the first boy emerged, and then 11 others followed.
Barra sent Changkwanyuen a personal email after she learned of his actions in Thailand.
When I learned that one of our own was at the forefront of the efforts, I was reminded of something I keep discovering — never to be surprised by the bravery and commitment of the men and women of General Motors. Your dedication to doing the right thing embodies the very best of human nature.
Comments
Hmm GM’s leader recognizes a hero and Tesla’s leader calls a hero a pedo.
Hmmmm!
In Musk’s defense, he tried his best to help the kids. Had he not been kicked out of the rescue site for taking Instagram pics and disturbing the operations, I’m sure he and his toy submarine would have saved the entire soccer team.
No. A rigid tube submarine can’t bend and fit through tight openings like a human child can.
Besides, pragmatism is more important than waiting for Musk to make his move. The Thai navy seals did the right thing and did it flawlessly.
I was being sarcastic…
Good job Ruen! 🙂
At which place within GM does Ruengrit Changkwanyuen work?
Ah, I found it now looking up the linked to article of the Detroit Free Press:
“General Motors’ information technology launch manager in Thailand”
I was missing the country name in the GMA article.
This rescue of 13 human beings shows what is the normal behaviour of humans: when some other human being is in distress, we are able to do our utmost to come to help and even save lives.
That on the other hand, thousands of refugees drown each year in the Mediteranen Sea while trying to reach the northern shores, or die while trying to move north on the American continent over artificial borders which illegal immigrants had erected and fortified.
There is something wrong in societies which suppress so massively the basic human impulses, i.e. to help other human beings who are in distress.
Let me quote the last paragraph of the Detroit Free Press article:
“I’m just a small part of a big operation and a lot of teamwork,” Changkwanyuen said. “There are no borders. When something like this happens, every country around the world, they all come together to work on the same goal. That’s the same thing in General Motors. Our culture works towards that every day.”