Three young football players who were trapped with other team members for almost three weeks in a cave in northern Thailand have been granted Thai citizenship, along with their 25-year-old coach.
All four had been stateless, and their lack of citizenship deprived them of some basic benefits and rights, including the ability to travel outside of Chiang Rai, the northern province where they live. The area is home to ethnic minorities with roots in neighboring Myanmar.
The boys and coach were among 13 people who were trapped in the cave until their rescue by scuba divers.
The head coach of the Wild Boars team said they received official Thai ID cards yesterday, along with another team member who had not been in the cave but also applied for citizenship.
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