Thailandhas opened the famous Tham Laung cave to the public, after the removal ofequipment that was used in last year's dramatic rescue of 12 boys and theirsoccer coach who were trapped underground for weeks.
Hundredsof people flocked on Saturday to see the cave where the of Wild Boar Academysoccer team was rescued from in July 2018. The visitors created so much trafficthat authorities had to allow up to around 30 people to enter at a time.
DuangpornSookawong, 75, who came all the way from the southern Songkhla province, saidshe believed that the rescue was a miracle and the boys were lucky that theywere able to survive despite being stuck in the dark, complex network of cavesfor almost three weeks.
WildBoars Academy's coach Ekapol Chanthawong and 12 boys had gone to explore theTham Luang caves in Chiang Rai province on June 23, 2018, when a rainy-seasondownpour flooded the cave system and trapped them underground.
Theysurvived for nine days on water dripping from rocks before they werediscovered. An international effort to rescue them ended on July 10 when theyall were brought out safely, to the relief of millions of people in Thailandand abroad who had been gripped by their fate.
