Thai Soccer Player At The Center Of International Headlines From 2018 Rescue, Dies At 17

Thai teenager, who was saved from a cave that had flooded in his country, died Tuesday.

Duangphet “Dom” Promthep was one 13 people rescued from Tham Luang Cave, Chiang Rai Province in Thailand in July 2018. The international media attention focused on the story of the 12 players and their assistant coach. Promthep had been living in England since last summer, after he was awarded a scholarship to study soccer at Brooke House College Football Academy.

“We are waiting for his body to return,” Promthep’s mother Thanaporn said at a virtual news conference in the northern Thailand town of Mae Sai, via The New York Times.

According to NYT, the Leicestershire Police reported that they were called to the school Sunday afternoon and that a 17-year-old boy had died at a hospital. Kiatisuk Senamuang, the founder of the foundation which helped secure Promthep’s scholarship, said Wednesday that a teacher found Promthep unconscious in his dorm room. East Midlands Ambulance Service spokesperson added to the statement. BBC He had been taken to Kettering General Hospital. According to police, his death is not being treated as suspicious. BBC reported that reports from Thailand claimed that he had sustained a head injury.

Friends and members of the community sent in tributes.

Brooke House College Football Academy Principal Ian Smith stated that the school is “deeply saddened and shaken” by the young footballer’s death. “We unite in grief with all of Dom’s family, friends, former teammates and those involved in all parts of his life, as well as everyone affected in any way by this loss in Thailand and throughout the college’s global family,” According to the BBC, he made this statement.

“When we met last time before you left for England, I still jokingly said to you that I have to get your autograph when you come back,” mourned Prachak Sutham, one of Promthep’s teammates from the “Wild Boars” A junior soccer team was also rescued in the cave. “Rest in peace my friend, there will always be 13 of us.”

“You are one of the persons who pushes me and makes me want to develop myself to your level,” Chanin Viboonrungruang was another teammate. “If next life is real, I wish we will play football together as a team again.”

“The soul of Dom Duangphet Promthep has gone to a better world,” Supatpong MethigoFacebook user ‘Profemthep’ wrote that he was a Buddhist monk who also taught school in Thailand. “I hope that the dharma who has taught you will accompany you everywhere. And in my next life, I would like you to be my disciple again.”

Promthep, then 13 years old and captain of Wild Boars when he was rescued from Tham Luang Cave with his team. On June 23, 2018, the team and their assistant coach attempted to explore the cave, but heavy monsoon rains flooded the cave and forced them to go deeper to avoid drowning. The Thai Navy SEALs were initially dispatched to rescue the victims. They were followed by British cave rescue divers and a U.S. Air Force rescue squadron.

The boys were discovered by their coach on July 2 on a rock shelf about 2.5 miles from the cave mouth. The coach and all 12 players were saved by July 10. Saman Kunan was one of the rescuers that died during the operation. A second member of the rescue team, Thai Navy SEAL Beirut Pakbara (Seal of the Navy), died in 2019 from a blood infection that he contracted during the rescue.

Promthep received a scholarship to Brooke House College Football Academy’s August. “Today my dream has come true,” He said it on Instagram, via NYT. “I promise I will focus and do my best,” He stated.

Duangphet “Dom” Promthep was 17

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