Rescued Thai boy says 'hope' kept them going, another feared mom would scold him

The 12 boys of a local football team and their coach, who spent more than a fortnight in a flooded cave in Thailand, today said "hope kept them going" as they interacted with the media.

This is the first time that the 13 'Wild Boars' spoke about their 17-day-long ordeal inside the Tham Luang cave. They were admitted to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh hospital and kept in isolation for a week before today's interaction. Their families were not allowed to meet the boys during this period.

Thai Navy SEALs, who played a pivotal role in their rescue, were present with the boys during the interaction session. Each of the boys, wearing team jerseys, took the mic and greeted the mediapersons with folded hands (traditional Thai way, similar to namaste in India) before introducing himself and talking about the rescue operation. "It is a miracle," said 14-year-old Adul Sam-on.

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"I am looking forward to home-cooked food," said one of the boys during the interaction. Another one said, "I was scared, I was scared my mother would scold me."

They also paid tribute to former Navy SEAL diver Saman Gunan who died during the rescue operation by presenting a picture for the family of the diver and a message: "Condolences and RIP. Thank you for your sacrifice!"

The boys pay tribute to Saman Gunan. (AFP)

The boys, who sported crisp haircuts, had gained an average of 3kg each since the rescue, and rain through confidence-building exercises ahead of Wednesday's interaction, the hospital director said.

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The boys, aged between 11 and 16, had entered the cave on June 23 along with their coach. The group had planned to explore the Tham Luang cave complex for about an hour after soccer practice. But a rainy season downpour flooded the tunnels, trapping them.

"We tried to dig out as we thought we cannot only wait for authorities to get us," said their 25-year-old coach Ekkapol Chantawong.

The boys were first spotted by two British divers on July 2 who appealed to the Thai government to call on international divers for the rescue mission. The dramatic rescue operation which then began garnered world's attention as images were beamed live on social media and television sets. Their families and countless others keenly watched all the latest information emerging from the rescue spot. Many celebrities and heads of state sent good wishes to the boys.

After they came out of the cave, the boys said they managed to survive by drinking water "that fell from the rocks" inside the cave and meditating to conserve energy.

They were immediately taken to the hospital after the rescue.

The boys arrive for a press conference in Thailand's Chiang Rai on Wednesday. (AFP)

Today's briefing was tightly controlled, with experts warning of possible long-term distress from the more than two weeks they spent trapped inside a cramped, flooded chamber of the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand.

Doctors have advised families of the players that they should avoid letting them contact journalists for at least one month.

Families of the youngsters have eagerly awaited their homecoming.

Khameuy Promthep, the grandmother of 13-year-old Dom, one of the boys rescued from the cave, said that she was very excited.

"This is the happiest day of my life," she said.

(With inputs from agencies)