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Ashes of Thai footballer rescued from cave in 2018 return to family in Thailand

Duangpetch Promthep was found unconscious in his dorm room in the UK on Feb 12 before passing away a few days later.

Ashes of Thai footballer rescued from cave in 2018 return to family in Thailand

The ashes of Duangpetch Promthep, one of 12 schoolboys rescued from a flooded Thai cave in 2018, returned to his family in Thailand on Mar 4, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Pichayada Promchertchoo)

BANGKOK: The ashes of 17-year-old Duangpetch ‘Dom’ Promthep – one of 12 schoolboys rescued from a flooded cave in northern Thailand in 2018 – returned to his family in Thailand on Saturday (Mar 4), following his death and funeral service in the United Kingdom last month.

The ashes were delivered to his parents at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok by Kiatisuk Senamuang – a former striker and head coach of Thailand’s national football team – whose non-profit organisation Zico Foundation helped Duangpetch obtain a scholarship to study at the Brooke House College Football Academy in Leicestershire last year.

He was found unconscious in his dorm room on Feb 12 before passing away a few days later.

His body was cremated in Leicester on Tuesday. The funeral service was attended by his friends, schoolteachers, Kiatisuk and Thai ambassador to the UK Thani Thongphakdi, among others.

Duangpetch's ashes were delivered to his family in Thailand by Kiatisuk Senamuang – a former striker and head coach of Thailand’s national football team. (Photo: CNA/Pichayada Promchertchoo)
Duangpetch's father holds a bag containing his ashes. (Photo: CNA/Pichayada Promchertchoo)

Duangpetch’s family will bring his ashes back to their hometown in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand.

“Phra That Doi Wao Temple, where he was ordained, will hold a praying ceremony for three days and two nights. We will then scatter his ashes in the Mekong River in Chiang Saen,” said Duangpetch’s mother Thanaporn Promthep. 

“Every day, I think of Dom and how he had always been a good boy,” she added. “I can survive.”

Duangpetch was the former captain of a Thai junior football team – the Wild Boar Academy. He was one of the 12 schoolboys rescued from the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in the northern province of Chiang Rai in 2018.

The boys went to explore the cave with their football coach before it was flooded, blocking their way out.

The search and rescue operation involved thousands of volunteers, officials, cave divers and experts from around the world. It ended successfully with all 13 brought to safety.

Duangpetch's mother Thanaporn Promthep. (Photo: CNA/Pichayada Promchertchoo)

According to Kiatisuk, Duangpetch was found unconscious in his dorm room by a teacher and was taken to Kettering General Hospital.

Two days later, the hospital reported that his breathing became weaker and that he was not responsive.

Following his death, his family appealed for help for his body to be returned to Thailand. However, due to financial reasons, the family requested for his cremation in the UK and for his ashes to be return home.

“The Zico Foundation and the Brooke House College Football Academy have followed the request of Dom’s family to organise the cremation in the UK so Dom can continue playing football there,” said Kiatisuk on Saturday.

“We brought Dom back to Thailand today so that his family can proceed to perform religious rites for him.”

Source: CNA/pp(rj)
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