Thai Cave Rescue: Coach And Boys Given Citizenship

Thailand has granted citizenship to the coach and three members of a football team dramatically rescued from a flooded cave last month.

During their ordeal, it emerged that the boys and their coach were among around 480,000 stateless people living in the south-east Asian country.

The four were part of a 13-strong team, known as the Wild Boars, who became trapped deep in a cave on 23 June.

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Coach Ekapol Chantawong, who was widely praised for keeping the boys safe after rain flooded the cave system, was rescued on the 18th day, along with the final three boys.

Many of Thailand’s stateless people are from nomadic hill tribes and other ethnic groups who have lived around the borders of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and China for centuries.