Mae Sai, (CNN ) - For the Buddhist monks who keep nightly vigil outside the cave where 12 young boys and their soccer coach remain trapped, the dry weather is a sign their prayers are working.
Members of this tight-knit community in Mae Sai, northern Thailand, know that the return of seasonal monsoon rains will complicate any attempt to rescue the boys, who became stranded deep inside the tunnel network 14 days ago following a sudden flash flood.
The Thai authorities know it too.
Monsoon season typically lasts from July to October. During that time, waters levels in Mae Sai, which sits nestled along Thailand's mountainous border with Myanmar, can rise rapidly, flooding farmland and cutting off entire villages.
The Tham Luang Nang Non caves, where the boys are trapped, act as the town's natural drainage basin during this period of heavy rains.
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