Coach of Thai cave boys trapped again – by typhoon floods

BANGKOK: The coach of the young Thai football that captured the world’s attention when they spent nearly three weeks trapped in a cave has found himself in another watery predicament – stuck on his roof by flash floods.
Ekkapol Chantawong told AFP on Wednesday (Sep 11) he was drawing on his 2018 experience with the “Wild Boars” team to get through his latest ordeal at his home in the northern Thai district of Mae Sai.
Days of torrential rain brought by Typhoon Yagi have triggered deadly flash floods and landslides in northern Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.
The floodwaters rose suddenly in Ekkapol’s village early on Tuesday morning, leaving him and his family no time to escape, he told AFP by phone.
The waters kept rising, eventually forcing him onto the roof of his house, where he spent Tuesday night along with his girlfriend and her aunt.
“I was scared but I told myself I have to be calm. Wait and assess the situation,” he said.
The waters have gone down, allowing Ekkapol to reach the ground floor of the house, but they cannot leave because the current outside is still too strong, he said.
Ekkapol and his “Wild Boars” team spent nearly three weeks trapped by flash floods in the Tham Luang cave complex, emerging to global acclaim after a daring international rescue operation.
He said the cave experience had taught him lessons he could apply to his latest predicament.
“I do not think it is different. First we have to focus and start solving the problem we are facing,” he said.
“I do not feel more pressure with this stranding. I see more of a way out.”
Asked if he could imagine a third such experience, Ekkapol laughed: “It’s hard to say. We can’t say what will be, but I hope I don’t have to go up on the roof again tonight.”