Thailand cave rescue: Why parents of 12 boys are being kept in the dark by authorities

THE parents of the boys trapped in a Thai cave continue to endure an agonising wait to be reunited with their sons. But they’ve been told very little about who’s free and still trapped.

THE parents of the boys trapped underground in a Thai cave continue to endure an agonising wait to be reunited with their sons.

But while local Thai and mainstream media outlets have named the first four boys in hospital, their parents claim to be unaware of the boys’ identities.

Local media reports say they their identities are not being disclosed to not make the experience even more painful for the parents of the boys who are still in the cave.

Supaluk Sompiengjai, a mother of Pheeraphat — known by his nickname ‘Night’, who is still waiting for news said: “I am still waiting here at the cave, keeping my fingers crossed to see whether my son will be one of those to come out today.”

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Prajak Sutham, 14. Mr Sutham is one of 12 footballers saved from inside a flooded cave in the Tham Luang Forest Park. Picture: Supplied

Monhkhol Boonpiam, 13, is one of 12 footballers saved from inside a flooded cave in the Tham Luang Forest Park. Picture: Supplied

“We heard four boys are out but we do not know who they are. Many parents are still here waiting. None of us has been informed of anything.”

But she added she was “happy” at the prospect of seeing her son again.

Hnin Jaiwong, the mother of one of the trapped boys, 13-year-old Sompong Jaiwong, said: “I feel very happy, everybody is happy.

“I don’t know if he is out, they didn’t tell us,” she said as she rested in a hut close to the mouth of the cave.

Onlookers watch and cheer as ambulances deliver boys rescued from a cave in northern Thailand to hospital in Chiang Rai. Picture: Getty

Nattawut 'Tle', 11, is one of 12 footballers saved from inside a flooded cave in the Tham Luang Forest Park. Picture: Supplied

Pipat Bodhi, 15 is one of 12 footballers saved from inside a flooded cave in the Tham Luang Forest Park. Picture: Supplied

Namhom Boonpiam, the mother of Mongkhol Boonpiam, 14, known as ‘Mark’, who has been named as one of the rescued boys, said she had only learned he may have been freed social media reports. “I just heard his name, Mongkhol, and I was happy enough,” she said.

She is sleeping at the cave site as she waits with other parents for more information.

Somboon Sompiangjai, 38, the father of one of the trapped boys, has told Reuters that parents were told by rescuers that the “strongest children” would be brought out first.

Family members of the boys trapped in the cave are questioned by the media. Picture: Getty

“We have not been told which child has been brought out … We can’t visit our boys in hospital because they need to be monitored for 48 hours,” Somboon told Reuters.

It is unclear how this fits with reports from the Thai health official, that parents would be able to visit their sons tonight.

“I’m hoping for good news today,” Somboon said.

Originally published as Thailand cave rescue: Why parents of 12 boys are being kept in the dark by authorities