CHIANG RAI • Thais reacted with relief, gratitude and exhilaration yesterday after the successful rescue of the remaining five members of a group of 12 boys and their football coach from a flooded cave complex, ending a 17-day ordeal that gripped Thailand and the world.
"All Wild Boars saved," read the headline in the Bangkok Post.
"Hooyah! Mission accomplished," said The Nation, echoing the rallying cry of the Thai navy Seals involved in the rescue.
The hashtag #Hooyah was also hugely popular with Thai netizens wanting to show their support for the hundreds of rescuers, including divers from around the world, who helped to get the boys out.
The jubilation was tinged with sadness over the death of Mr Saman Gunan, the retired Thai navy Seal who died while trying to deliver oxygen to the boys last Friday. Images that have been circulating on social media include his portraits and illustrations.
Thai actress Araya Hargate shared a cartoon of the boys surrounded by rescuers on her Instagram page, which has 7.9 million followers.
"After all... the world is not such a bad place #humanityfaithrestored #thailandcaverescue," wrote the top actress, who is known as Chompoo in Thailand.
Despite spending 17 days in the dark, dank cave, health officials said the boys - who are aged 11 to 16 - and their 25-year-old coach are in good physical and mental health, and eating normal food. The group remains in quarantine in Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital.
Yesterday, a few hundred Thai schoolchildren gathered opposite the hospital, chanting thanks to those who helped.
Elsewhere, student Duangduen Sittiwongsa, a classmate of one of the boys - 16-year-old Pheeraphat "Night" Sompiengjai - whose birthday fell on the day the team entered the cave, said he would be given cake and gifts when he returns to school. "We will sing a song for him," she said.
Mr Khamluh Guntawong, the grandfather of team assistant coach Ekkapol Chantawong, said: "I am very happy and relieved. I haven't been able to sleep for days. I am happy that the boys are out too."
In the town of Mae Sai, Mr Prayuth Jetiyanukarn, the abbot at the temple where Mr Ekkapol works, was overjoyed.
"I am so happy, but it is not just for Ek and the team," he said.
"The whole world has been watching over these 17 days, and they are celebrating with us."
The abbot started crying as he said: "Because Ek is an orphan, I feel like his father. And Ek felt responsible for the 12 Wild Boars, so I felt like I had 13 worries on my shoulders.
"It was 17 days, but it felt like years."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS, NYTIMES
