BANGKOK: Being stranded on a rooftop during severe flooding brought back haunting memories for Ekkapol Chantawong, the coach of the young Thai football team that was famously trapped in Tham Luang Cave in 2018.
Ekkapol, who gained worldwide attention alongside 12 young footballers after being trapped for nearly three weeks in Chiang Rai province, recently found himself facing a similar crisis – this time – stranded on his rooftop in Mae Sai District in the same province, due to severe flooding.
In an interview with the Thai Navy SEAL Foundation, Ekkapol reflected on the parallels between both experiences.
“The feeling was similar to being trapped in the cave, but this time, only adults were involved.
“In 2018, we had youths who needed rescuing, but this time, it was adults who needed to take care of themselves,“ he added.
Ekkapol recalled that on the evening of Sept11, the water levels surged rapidly, flooding the first floor of his house. With little time to react, he was unable to save his belongings.
“I initially thought the water would only rise to knee-high, like it does every year. But within an hour, it had already reached waist high. We escaped to the roof and spent two nights there, surviving only on snacks,“ he said.
The floods caused extensive damage to homes, with furniture and belongings submerged in water.
“It wasn’t just me…everyone’s homes were affected. We lost everything. I managed to get out with just my phone and the clothes on my back. Everything else was gone,“ Ekkapol said.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported that the floodwater level has receded in many parts of Chiang Rai areas since Friday morning.
In 2018, Ekkapol and his “Mu Pa” (Wild Boar) football team were trapped by flash floods inside the Tham Luang cave complex. The incident became a global sensation after a daring international rescue operation successfully brought them to safety after nearly three weeks.
