A Thai boy reveals that he thought that the cave rescuer was a "hallucination"

The boy said that he was so hungry after being stuck for 10 days that he could "only think of the food".

The players and their 25-year-old coach were safely out of the mountain Tham Luang cave complex near the border with Myanmar last week after a perilous rescue operation that drew the attention of media and hundreds of journalists on the scene.

The boys are in the hospital in Chiang Rai City. The boys and their football coach arrived for the press conference on Wednesday Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

strong physically as well as mentally, "a spokesman told reporters, adding that they were all supposed to return home later Wednesday. "Everyone showed his determination to face life in the future."

The boys had planned to explore the cave for about an hour after playing football June 23. But torrential rain flooded the tunnels. [19659009] Related

Two British divers found them on July 2 squatting on a mound in a flooded room several miles inside the complex. Rescuers then had to find out how to get them out through the tunnels, some of which were full of fast-flowing floodwaters.

The players said they had not taken any food. with them because they did not expect to be in the cave. long. They survived by drinking water from stalactites.

One of them said that he was only concerned about going home late. "I was afraid of not going home, I would be scolded by my mother," joked the boy.

A framed picture of the Thai navy SEAL died during the rescue operation was shown to reporters and will be presented to her family in mourning. He was covered in the handwritten tributes of the players.

"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts," one of the messages read. "Our sincere condolences to your family."

The boys said their test made them more determined to fulfill their dream of becoming professional players and making the most of their lives.

I still want to be a professional football player but I also want to be a SEAL. "

The Boars' badistant coach said that their" team spirit remained strong "and that many players hoped to be ordained together as monks. [19659002] Their dramatic story is already ready to be told by Hollywood, with two production companies looking to collect movies about boys and their rescue.

Jon M. Chu, the director of "Crazy Rich Asians", said that he was working to develop a Rescue movie to avoid a Hollywood "smudging" of history.

Authorities said team members had taken part in "confidence building exercises" "Before they leave the hospital, will certainly be able to con" drive their normal lives, "said a health official to reporters." Doctors and nurses are under more stress than the team. . "

Pbadak Bunyalak, vice governor of Chiang Rai Province, said the boys would be sent home after the press conference. "At this early stage, we are trying to ensure that the media does not disturb the boys," he told Reuters on Tuesday, adding that they were protected by Thai law on the protection of children. childhood, which protects under-18s from media coverage that would cause emotional harm.