The state of health of the 12 Wild Boars Academy football team members and their coach has continued to improve and they are expected to be allowed to go home next week, Public Health Ministry’s inspector-general Dr Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong said on this morning.

The 13 were trapped in Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district for 17 days before being brought out to freedom in a dramatic rescue operation that captivated the world.

Dr Thongchai said all of them can now eat normally but will continue to be on medication according to standard practices.

After returning home, doctors will have to follow up with their physical conditions for a period until their health fully returns to normal.  Their mental conditions will be under close surveillance by doctors. Before letting them go home, doctors will talk to their parents concerning this matter.

Dr Thongchai said he is particularly concerned about their mental conditions because of the ordeal they all went through, especially the period of darkness that they encountered before being discovered. They need to be helped in readjusting themselves to the environment they will return to, he added.