‘He was a natural leader’: Mourners gather for funeral of Thai cave survivor who died aged 17 after being found in his bedroom in Britain while enjoying a football academy scholarship
- His shrine was decorated with 17 soccer balls to represent each year of his life.
- The 17-year-old was found unconscious in his bedroom on February 12.
Family and friends gather to remember the life of one of the children rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand in 2018 who died last month.
Duangphet ‘Dom’ Phromthep was remembered as a natural leader with a promising life, while his shrine was decorated with 17 footballs, each to represent a year of his life.
On Saturday, the monks sat in a row and chanted prayers for Duangohet at Wat Phra That Doi Wao.
The boy’s mother, Thanaporn Phromthep, said: ‘He came to play football. He wanted to go abroad and he did. Thank you for the opportunities that allowed you to live his dreams.
‘Dom was a quiet boy. He lived simply, ate simply. He didn’t take himself too seriously and he was a happy person. He died peacefully.
Family and friends gather to remember the life of Duangphet ‘Dom’ Phromthep after his death last month in the UK.
The 17-year-old was one of the children who were rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand in 2018.
Duangphet was found unconscious in his room on February 12 at Brooke House College Football Academy in Leicestershire, where he was on a scholarship, and died two days later in hospital.
His body was cremated earlier this week in the UK. On Saturday his ashes arrived in the northern province of Chiang Rai, where funeral rites will take place over the next few days.
At the Chiang Rai airport, her grandparents burst into tears when they were handed a small box containing the ashes.
His former coach Ekapol Chanthawong, who was trapped in the cave with him, was holding a large portrait of his former student.
Duangphet head coach Nopparat Khanthavong said: ‘He had a passion for playing football and was very focused and determined.
His shrine was decorated with 17 soccer balls, each to represent a year of his life.
On Saturday, her friends and family, including her mother, Thanaporn Phromthep, gathered at Wat Phra That Doi Wao.
The temple is less than 6.2 miles away from the Ham Luang cave where he and his 11 soccer teammates and their coach were trapped.
A line of monks sat in a row and chanted prayers for Duangohet.
‘He was a natural leader. He focused on training and was an example for his friends and the younger ones.
He tried out and received a scholarship to study in England, which was the last place he was able to go.
“It was a dream of his to play football abroad.”
The temple is less than 6.2 miles from Ham Luang Cave, where he, his 11 soccer teammates and their coach were trapped for more than two weeks before a team of expert divers guided them out in a rescue that attracted worldwide attention.
He, his 11 soccer teammates and his coach were trapped for more than two weeks.
His former coach Ekapol Chanthawong, who was trapped in the cave with him, was holding a large portrait of his former student.
They were led by a team of expert divers in a rescue that drew worldwide attention.