It was the story that captivated the world.
On 23 June, 12 boys from Thailand’s Baan Viangpan School’s ‘Wild Boars’ youth football team and their football coach became trapped in a cave in the Chiang Rai Province of Thailand after it became flooded with water, forcing them deeper into the cave.
As the extent of the ordeal became clear, it seemed that time was quickly running out for the boys.
But 17 days later, the world breathed a collective sigh of relief after all 12 were saved by a team of rescuers from the US, UK, Belgium, Australia, Scandinavia and several other countries.
At one might expect, the boys’ classmates and teachers are eager to welcome them back, but they will have to wait another two weeks as the boys recover in hospital, and then at home.
Prajak, who spent his 14th birthday trapped on a sandbank in one of the cave’s chambers, doesn’t know it yet, but a massive surprise party is awaiting him once he returns to school.
“We miss him so much - when he comes back, our class will throw him a surprise belated birthday party,” Prajak’s classmate, Kotchakorn Laorinthong, told DPA International.
Will Abhiburanasuvan, a close friend of 13-year-old Sompong Jaiwong – another member of the Wild Boars youth football team trapped in the cave – said he missed his friend because he was now “the only one left pulling pranks on people.”
“I miss our football banter – he loves Mohamed Salah and I love teasing him when Liverpool lose,” said Will, referring to the Egyptian footballer who plays as a forward for Liverpool.
At the boys’ school, a booth has been covered with photos of Adul Sam-on, another of the boys. The 14-year-old was shown speaking fluent English with British divers who discovered the group in a video clip that went viral online during the rescue.
“Our brilliant Adul, fight on! We're waiting for you!” reads a sign at the top of the booth.
“Adul is a very helpful and considerate boy,” said one of Adul's teachers, Piyarat Yodsuwan.
“He is loved by all his classmates – actually, his friends really miss copying his homework!”