Thailand's Wild Boars soccer team mark one year anniversary

A year after they became trapped in a flooded cave at the start of a two-week ordeal, some of the 12 young Thai soccer players and their coach marked the anniversary of the drama on Sunday that propelled them into celebrities.

A fund raiser event was organised by local authorities for improving the conditions at the famous Tham Luang cave complex in northern Thailand. Over 4,000 people took part in the marathon and biking event on Sunday morning.

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The team had gone in for exploring the cave before it flooded due to the rain water. But, the they were forced to move in deeper inside the dark complex. The rescue was hailed as miraculous. 

Among the 12 boys, nine of them participated in the marathon donning the event's orange T-shirts. The boys who are now notably taller and older were also joined by their coach. The Wild Boars were the center of attention as they posed for pictures. The boys and their coach, who are nothing short of celebrities were represented by the 13 Tham Luang Co. Ltd, established by the Thai government to cater to the team's interests. Apparently, Netflix has acquired the rights for portraying their story.

Former Wild Boars team coach Ekapol Chantawong said:

"I want to thank everybody who has put so much effort and sacrifices to save all of us," .

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He stood in front of the bronze statue of Lieutenant Commander Saman Gunan, a Thai navy SEAL who lost his life rescuing the trapped boys. As per Abbot Prayutjetiyanukarn, a monk in the neighborhood, the boys were avoiding the press whenever they can. But the team is doing just fine he said:

"But they are fine, both physically and spiritually, there's nothing to worry about," he said.

The challenging rescue was initially led only by the country's navy SEALs, which was quite complicated. They decided to approach international rescuers and cave explorers and cave diving experts who were successful at locating the boys and coach before bring them out on July 10 last year. Oxygen cannisters were placed along the whole path where the divers maneuvered dark, tight and twisting passageways filled with muddy waters and strong currents. Many local and foreign rescuers joined the Sunday's run.

"Not many children could have survived the way they did, so we have to respect them for that," said Vernon Unsworth, a British diver whose advice and experience were crucial to the rescue operation.

"What we should do right now is to just let them get on with their lives. Just let them grow up like normal kids," he said.

The cave and the town of Mae Sai in the mountainous province on the border with Myanmar are now flooded with tourists curious to know about the events. The cave's surrounding amenities, which just last year primarily featured dirt roads and thick mud, has seen some significant renovations with facilities being built, roads paved, and shops settling in. The events that unfolded last year have resulted in fortunes for local souvenir shopkeepers.

"Since the kids have been rescued, the economy around here keeps getting better," said Lek Yodnum, a shop owner who sells T-shirts and memorabilia of the

cave rescue.

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The shop owner further added that no shops existed around the place before the boys were trapped:

"It was all just farm and field," he said.

"Now, Thum Luang has officially become the financial hub of Mae Sai district." The 12 kids and their coach are scheduled to attend a Buddhist merit-making ceremony at Tham Luang on Monday morning.