Trapped 13 express their feelings in first letters from cave

By The Nation

 

 

The 13 footballers stranded in a cave have all sent their first letters home.

 

The Thai NavySEAL Facebook page published photos of seven hand-written letters.

 

The Facebook page said the assistant coach, Ekkapol Chanthawong, and the boys gave the letters to a team of foreign divers at night on Friday.

 

The first page of the paper was on the subject of communication, apparently written by the coach.

The first page says: “What we want to communicate: The kids say don’t be worried about them. All of them are strong. They would like to eat many different kinds of foods when they come out. Teachers, please don’t give them too much homework. The SEALs and doctor Phak, who are taking care of the children, are also well.”

 

The rest of the letters say:

 

Chanin Wibulrungruang (Tun): Dad and mum, don’t worry. I am fine. Please tell Brother Yod to get prepared to take me to a fried chicken shop. Love you all!

 

Ekkapol Chanthawong (Coach Ake): To parents of all the children: The children are doing well. There are staff who take good care of them. I promise to take care of them as best as I can. I would like to thank you for all the moral support. And I would like to apologise to all the parents.

 

To my aunt and grandmother: I am doing well. Don’t worry too much about me. Please take good care of yourselves. Aunt, please tell grandma to please prepare the vegetable juice and fried pork skin for me. I’ll eat them when I come out. I love you all.

 

Sompong Jaiwong (Pong): I you dad and mum. Don’t worry. We are all safe now. Love you all.

 

Pipat Photi (Nik): I love you, dad and mum. I love my siblings as well. When I come out, please take me to a pork pan (shabu) shop. Love you all.

 

Mongkol Boonpiam (Mark): Mum, are you doing well at home? I am doing well. Please tell my teacher I love her. Love you, mum.

 

Phanumart Saengdee (Mik): Don’t worry about me. I miss you all, grandpa, aunt, mother, dad and siblings. I am happy inside here. The SEALs take good care of me. Love you all.

 

Ekkarat Wongsukchan (Bew): Don’t worry about me, dad and mum. I’ll be away for just two weeks. I’ll later help you, mum, sell goods when I have time. I’ll rush out of here.

 

Pornchai Khamluang (Tee): Don’t worry about me. I hope you all, dad, mum, and siblings, are happy.

 

Duangphet Promthep (Tom): I am doing well. But the air is cold. Don’t worry. But don’t forget my birthday party.

 

Adul Sam-on (Adul): Don’t worry about us now. I miss you all. I would like to go home as soon as possible.

 

Pirapat Sompiangchai (Knight): I love you, dad and mum. Don’t worry about me. I love you all.

 

Natthawut Thakhamsai (Toel): I miss you dad and mum. I love you all. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.

 

Prachak Sutham (Note): I am safe and doing well. Don’t worry. I love you dad and mum.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30349537

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-07

brought a tear to my eye

heart wrenching

Let us all hope these brave young boys can be safely reunited with their families soon.......

I am pleased that they sound in good spirits, though I get the suspicion that they may not have been informed fully, on exactly how much peril they are actually still in. I do hope though, that everyone of them gets home for those dishes requested.

18 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

I am pleased that they sound in good spirits, though I get the suspicion that they may not have been informed fully, on exactly how much peril they are actually still in. I do hope though, that everyone of them gets home for those dishes requested.

My wife told me that one of the boys thought the British divers came through the cave from England. Yes i doubt they are fully aware of their situation. Lets hope they all get out safely 

I kind of smiled about all the "take me to the restaurant"- things!

Good to see, that all seem to be in good spirit!

This might be very important in the coming days!

Hope they are not goodbye letters. 

This is the worst day of days. 

I can barely bare the pain of seeing them suffer. 

 

Why use written letters?  Surely a video message from each recorded on one of the camera's they have down there would be much better... Unless they (the authorities) are thinking the worst...

44 minutes ago, Julie H said:

My wife told me that one of the boys thought the British divers came through the cave from England. Yes i doubt they are fully aware of their situation. Lets hope they all get out safely 

Heard that too.

Would need passports and visas to go out that way......and a lot of energy.

"THE football coach trapped deep in a Thai cave with the 12 schoolboys has lived a tragic life and cheated death when a killer disease claimed his entire family."

 

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/family-friends/thai-cave-coach-lost-entire-family-aged-10/news-story/f707d6791ab0424c4321ce327951a25d

Parents tell football coach not to blame himself

By The Nation

 

 

The parents of 12 young footballers trapped inside the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai told the assistant football coach who was trapped with the boys not to blame himself.

In their reply to the handwritten letter of Ekkapol Chanthawong, or Coach Ake, they said they appreciated him for taking care of their kids.

 

In his letter sent via divers, the coach had issued an apology to the parents.

 

“All the parents would like to ask Coach Ake to take care of the kids. You don't have to blame yourself. We would like you to feel relieved. We parents are not mad at you. We all understand you and we would like to extend you our moral support. We would like to thank you for taking care of the kids. You must exit with them just as you entered the cave with them. Bring the kids safely home,” a parent, who identified herself as Aunt In, wrote.

 

A father, whose son’s nick name is Note, told his son to tell the coach not to feel sad. “Tell Coach Ake not to worry. Your Mum is not angry at him,” the father wrote in a letter sent back to his son in the cave via divers.

 

The mother of “Titan” said in her letter: “Brother Ake, you must be strong. We love and have concern for you. We are waiting for you in front of the cave. Bring the kids out.”

 

The coach’s aunt also sent a letter to the coach saying: “I am waiting for you in front of the cave. Please take good care of yourself. Nobody blames you. I and grandma and other relatives are waiting for you in front of the cave. … We miss you and a lot of people give you moral support.”

 

The parent of “Pong” also thanked the coach for taking care of the youths. “Coach, you don’t have to worry. We parents must instead thank you for taking care of our children."

 

The parent of Adul told the coach that all the parents were thankful to him for guiding the kids in how to survive.

 

In their reply to the children sent back via divers, the parents expressed their love for the children and said they were waiting for them in front of the cave.

 

For example, the mother of Titan says: “Titan, Mum is waiting for you in front of the cave. Mum loves you and misses you a lot. You must be patient and fight on. You must be strong. Mum is waiting here. You must do it. Mum believes you can do it. Mum gives you moral support. Love you much.”

 

Titan’s father also wrote in the same piece of paper as: “Dad misses you much. Love you much. Kiss”.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30349549

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-07

2 hours ago, greenchair said:

Hope they are not goodbye letters. 

This is the worst day of days. 

I can barely bare the pain of seeing them suffer. 

 

"Hope they are not goodbye letters"

 

What a crass thing to say! You should be ashamed, in spite of the 2 following sentences.

i am surprised that all notes are in English.

11 minutes ago, sambum said:

"Hope they are not goodbye letters"

 

What a crass thing to say! You should be ashamed, in spite of the 2 following sentences.

i also hope they are not goodbye letters.  Because lets face it, the Thai rescuers have still not come up with a plan that will actually work yet, and they cant decide on which option to try.  I hate to say it, but trying to dive out of there, towing the poor lads, is not going to end well.  One moment of panic, and that will be that.  They have to find the chimney that is obviously there somewhere, because they have heard kids and roosters from above.  I have done caving when in the military, and its bloody frightening, and that was without being totally submerged.  Poor lads, I really hope they get out.  But please..leave it to the foreigners to organise.

9 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

i also hope they are not goodbye letters.  Because lets face it, the Thai rescuers have still not come up with a plan that will actually work yet, and they cant decide on which option to try.  I hate to say it, but trying to dive out of there, towing the poor lads, is not going to end well.  One moment of panic, and that will be that.  They have to find the chimney that is obviously there somewhere, because they have heard kids and roosters from above.  I have done caving when in the military, and its bloody frightening, and that was without being totally submerged.  Poor lads, I really hope they get out.  But please..leave it to the foreigners to organise.

If there is an air flow, surely they can send up some coloured smoke/flare inside the cave at roof height and lookout where it exists further up the hill, heat rises. Then they can maybe find another exit, much safer to go away from the water than into the water.

Please get them out safe . worrying times . hoping for the best to all of them and the brave folk who are trying to get them out God bless 

The way parents and relatives talk to coach Ake should put to shame some of the jerks who said horrible things on this Forum about him.

 

No need to say more, because I know that talking about intelligence, understanding, compassion, patience, and refraining from hasty judgments to people like that is like trying to teach Latin to a donkey.

 

Hold on tight, Ake, hold on tight, boys, you're brave and soul-moving, all of you. Thanks to all the people who are working relentlessly to rescue these kids, and RIP to the guy who lost his life in this battle.

 

I pray, along with millions of people, that you all get out of that ordeal, alive and well. Any other option is unthinkable, unimaginable, unacceptable.

 

Edited July 7, 20188 yr by Yann55

29 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

i also hope they are not goodbye letters.  Because lets face it, the Thai rescuers have still not come up with a plan that will actually work yet, and they cant decide on which option to try.  I hate to say it, but trying to dive out of there, towing the poor lads, is not going to end well.  One moment of panic, and that will be that.  They have to find the chimney that is obviously there somewhere, because they have heard kids and roosters from above.  I have done caving when in the military, and its bloody frightening, and that was without being totally submerged.  Poor lads, I really hope they get out.  But please..leave it to the foreigners to organise.

I read many articles, from many different sources, and it is incredible how information vary from one source to another.

 

For example, according to one source, there would be only one chamber left completely flooded, while according to others, many chambers are still completely flooded, one of them even requiring a 5 meter deep and tortuous dive, and another needing to stay underwater for 200 meters!

 

Needless to say that this is not at all the same!

 

If the boys can keep their head above water most of the time, things will be much easier than having to stay underwater.

 

In short, the information regarding the results of pumping water out of the cave is far from being clear...as is the water.

 

And this is crucial since it seems that the preferred solution for the rescue teams would be to evacuate once the water levels have receded enough...

1 hour ago, 1130bobs said:

i am surprised that all notes are in English.

They would obviously supply English translations for the Western press.

4 hours ago, steve73 said:

Why use written letters?  Surely a video message from each recorded on one of the camera's they have down there would be much better... Unless they (the authorities) are thinking the worst...

Makes even more sense to record their messages via video if it may be their last... 

 

The Thais I've spoken to, have the attitude nothing will or can go wrong..  GF said, farangs are saving the kids, so they will be OK..  

 

The U.S., seems they look at the worse case scenario as a possibility and hope for the best..

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Yann55 said:

The way parents and relatives talk to coach Ake should put to shame some of the jerks who said horrible things on this Forum about him.

 

No need to say more, because I know that talking about intelligence, understanding, compassion, patience, and refraining from hasty judgments to people like that is like trying to teach Latin to a donkey.

 

Hold on tight, Ake, hold on tight, boys, you're brave and soul-moving, all of you. Thanks to all the people who are working relentlessly to rescue these kids, and RIP to the guy who lost his life in this battle.

 

I pray, along with millions of people, that you all get out of that ordeal, alive and well. Any other option is unthinkable, unimaginable, unacceptable.

 

 

 

since they were all found alive and well the parents would normally speak that way to the coach given cultural mores and the societal baseline IQ.

Why not video?  I think the boys being Thai boys would be very shy and embarrassed to express love and affection  on camera.  Good luck to all. The world is with you. Your special food awaits.

Here is some interesting information regarding the ongoing rescue:

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/07/06/cave-rescues-q-how-thai-situation-happened/764227002/

 

 

This is heart-wrenching. Brings tears to the eyes - when one considers what hardships and dangers lie ahead ...

 

May they be protected - and emerge safe and sound into the beautiful Thai sunlight again.

The letter from the coach was heart-wrenching. I place absolutely no blame on this young Thai man. On this forum we are all aware that Thais of this age are still considered kids, as they lack world experiences or knowledge. I worked many years as a program director at a year-round kids camp and everyday I had to make quick decisions on the safety of activities in the outdoors. In retrospect there are some I should have nixed but often the enthusiasm of the kids swung the balance. This Thai coach obviously has the best interests of the boys at heart. I'm sure he, himself, wanted to follow team tradition and write his name on the cave's wall as did the boys. So in they went when conditions or expected conditions were not problem. The sudden storm struck and the coach lead his team (probably frightened and panicy) to a place of relative safety. Once there he calmed them, taught them survival strategies and maintained their moral. True leadership and all the time inwardly questioning his decision to enter the cave. In the end, only the boys should decide what action, if any, should be taken. For me, he should be praised. My whole being is sending hope and strength to these Thai Wild Boars.

Edited July 7, 20188 yr by DukSiam1
spelling

4 minutes ago, DukSiam1 said:

The letter from the coach was heart-wrenching. I place absolutely no blame on this young Thai man. On this forum we are all aware that Thais of this age are still considered kids, as they lack world experiences or knowledge. I worked many years as a program director at a year-round kids camp and everyday I had to make quick decisions on the safety of activities in the outdoors. In retrospect there are some I should have nixed but often the enthusiasm of the kids swung the balance. This Thai coach obviously has the best interests of the boys at heart. I'm sure he, himself, wanted to follow team tradition and write his name on the cave's wall as did the boys. So in they went when conditions or expected conditions were not problem. The sudden storm struck and the coach lead his team (probably frightened and panicy) to a place of relative safety. Once there he calmed them, taught them survival strategies and maintained their moral. True leadership and all the time inwardly questioning his decision to enter the cave. In the end, only the boys should decide what action, if any, should be taken. For me, he should be praised. My whole being is sending hope and strength to these Thai Wild Boars.

 

an analogy if i may, a boat captain that sees the adverse weather, pending storm yet decides to start the voyage as to not let down all the passengers wanting to have fun snorkeling 

I am not sure about how many farang kids, and I am a farang, would have survive or overcome such a horrific situation : trapped in a cave, water coming up, darkness, no food, only muddy water to drink, stress and fear, cold, no blanket, no dry clothes, no communication with outside and the first thing we see is your smile ! you are tough Thai kids and we are proud of you. It is the Football World Cup right now but all eyes are on you : Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Ronaldo, Cabana, Zidane are nothing compare to you, you are the champs ! 

7 minutes ago, Zetetique said:

I am not sure about how many farang kids, and I am a farang, would have survive or overcome such a horrific situation : trapped in a cave, water coming up, darkness, no food, only muddy water to drink, stress and fear, cold, no blanket, no dry clothes, no communication with outside and the first thing we see is your smile ! you are tough Thai kids and we are proud of you. It is the Football World Cup right now but all eyes are on you : Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Ronaldo, Cabana, Zidane are nothing compare to you, you are the champs ! 

What a wonderful post - first of its kind I've seen here. Yes, I wonder if my young English compatriots could behave as bravely and with as much positive spirits as these young Thai guys in this awful, dreadful, nightmarish situation. I hope so. But in any case - these Thai youngsters have ALL my respect and admiration.

Let them hang on to one of these, they'd be out in 1 hour.

 

https://www.divers-supply.com/yamaha-500li-scooter-metalic-black-green.html?utm_source=adwordsfroogle&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=adwordsfroogle&utm_content=CMFSBC-SDO-YME22500&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyYHaBRDvARIsAHkAXctIWVBXVSm_f-jDj-BSxPDkb_Cc8Jb70iRPh_lLyeZ21MrbZ_YLXp8aAuyvEALw_wcB

 

 

15 minutes ago, Zetetique said:

I am not sure about how many farang kids, and I am a farang, would have survive or overcome such a horrific situation : trapped in a cave, water coming up, darkness, no food, only muddy water to drink, stress and fear, cold, no blanket, no dry clothes, no communication with outside and the first thing we see is your smile ! you are tough Thai kids and we are proud of you. It is the Football World Cup right now but all eyes are on you : Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Ronaldo, Cabana, Zidane are nothing compare to you, you are the champs ! 

 

i dont mean to be overly reasonable or realistic on this forum but after a week or more in a dark cold wet cave drinking muddy water who wouldn't have a great big smile upon seeing rescuers, food, blankets, etc ??