Saturday, 23 June 2018. The 32-degree-Celsius air in Mae Sai, Thailand’s northernmost town, was like a hot damp towel wrapped around the Moo Pa (Wild Boars) soccer team, but they cycled to the pitch anyway—they always did.
If head coach Nopparat Khantha vong was the team’s general, assistant coach Ekapol Chantawong—‘Ek’—was his friendly lieutenant. With his smiling eyes and chirpy voice, at age 25 he was more like a big brother to the kids. Having spent much of his childhood in a monastery, as many underprivileged boys in Southeast Asia do, Ek had learned Buddhist discipline, meditation, and kindness.
Ek often took his players to Tham Luang cave at the base of Doi Nang Nonmountain after practice. A half-hour bike ride away, it was a refuge from the heat and—especially appealing to Ek—the cell signals upon which the boys were hooked. So at noon, the group headed there. It was the first time for Peerapat Sompiangjai, nicknamed, as many Thais are, with a shorter name: ‘Night’. He planned to be home by 5 p.m. for his 17th-birthday celebration.
Entering the cave they passed a sign that read, in Thai and English, “DANGER!! FROM JULY TO NOVEMBER THE CAVE CAN FLOOD”. Coach Ek, who led the way, wasn’t worried; it was still June and the monsoon rains that would flood the cave’s channels hadn’t started yet. Behind him were Night; 15-year-olds Note, Nick, and Tee; Bew, Adul, and Tern, all age 14; and 13-year olds Dom, Pong, Mark, and Mix. Giggling among them was the littlest guy, ironically nicknamed Titan, age 11. With Ek, they were 13 in all.
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