Thai cave boys to leave hospital on Thursday

CHIANG RAI: Twelve Thai boys and their soccer coach rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand are recovering well from the ordeal and will be discharged from hospital next week, health minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn said on Saturday.

The last of the 12-member “Wild Boars” soccer team and their coach were brought out of the Tham Luang cave, near the border with Myanmar, on Tuesday night, safely ending a perilous rescue and evoking international relief and joy.

The boys and their coach have been in hospital in the northern town of Chiang Rai since they were brought to safety. In a video played at a news conference on Saturday, they appeared well, sitting up in bed and thanking their rescuers.

Some said they were looking forward to eating their favourite food such as pork fried rice and sushi.

“I want to have crispy pork rice and barbecue pork rice,” Pipat Photi, 15, said in the video.

“I want pork knuckle rice,” said Duangpetch Promtep, 13. ‘‘Thank you for all the moral support.”

Some of the boys lost as much as 5 kg (11 lb) but had started to regain weight in hospital, Piyasakol told reporters.