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NEWS | EASTERN HORIZON 55

CANDLES AND

CHANTING AS

CAVE BOYS’

ORDINATION

BEGINS Soccer coach Ekkapol Chanthawong, front, and members of the

soccer team who were rescued from a flooded cave last week
attend a Buddhist ceremony as they prepare to be ordained
The Bangkok Post, 24 Jul 2018 as Buddhist monks and novices in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai
province, northern Thailand, on Tuesday. (AP photo)

Bangkok, Thailand -- Eleven boys from the “Wild the late Saman Kunan, the ex-Navy Seal diver who died
Boars” soccer team - rescued from the flooded Tham during the rescue operations.
Luang cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district in a drama
that gripped global audiences - took their first steps The 12 boys, aged 11 to 16, were discharged from a
on Tuesday to be ordained as Buddhist novices in a hospital last week and have been spending time at
ceremony steeped in home. They spoke of their ordeal last week at a news
conference organised by the government.
The occasion was broadcast live on Facebook by local
authorities and starts a process whereby the boys will Wearing simple white clothes, the boys pressed their
live for nine days in a Buddhist temple - a promise made palms together in prayer during the morning ceremony
by their families in thanks for their safe return and in as a saffron-robed monk gave thanks for their safe rescue.
memory of one rescuer who died.
The boys and their coach lit yellow candle sticks at the
The rescue involved divers and volunteers from all over Wat Phra That Doi Wao, a scenic temple in Chiang Rai’s
the world and ended on July 10 when the last of the Mae Sai district, where the boys are from.
group was brought to safety from inside Chiang Rai’s
Tham Luang Cave in Northern Thailand. Trays of sweets, fruits and sugary drinks were placed in
The boys and their 25-year-old coach Ekapol front of Buddha statues wrapped in shiny gold cloth.
Chanthawong had gone to explore the caves on June
23, where they became trapped. They survived for nine The boys will live as monks for nine days starting on
days on water dripping from rocks before they were Wednesday, Chiang Rai officials said in a statement on
discovered on a muddy mound by divers. Sunday.

“The eleven boys will be ordained as novices, whereas Along with their coach, they will have their hair shaved
Coach Ek will be ordained as a monk,” Rachapol on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the main ordination
Ngamgrabuan, an official at Chiang Rai’s provincial ceremony on Wednesday.
press office, told viewers on Facebook.
Traditionally, many Thai men are ordained as Buddhist
Buddhism is the country’s main religion and is followed monks once they came of age - a practice thought to
by more than 90% of the population. One of the boys, bring blessings and honour to their families. EH
fourteen-year-old Adul Sam-on is Christian and will not
be ordained. He reportedly will pray for the family of Source: Buddhist Channel www.buddhistchannel.tv