17-Year-Old Rescued From Thai Cave Took His Own Life At UK School, Reasons Unclear

Thai Football Team Captain Duangphet Phromthep Took His Own Life In UK, Coroner Finds

17-year-old Duangphet Phromthep, the captain of a football team rescued from a cave in Thailand in 2018, passed away in February 2023 while he was on a football scholarship in the United Kingdom.

Captain Of Thai Football Team Stuck In Cave Passes Away, Reportedly Suffered Head Injury

An inquest into his death by a coroner ruled that Duangphet, known as Dom, had taken his own life.

Prof Catherine Mason, senior coroner for Leicester city and south Leicestershire, said his death “could not have been foreseen or prevented”.

Police also found no indications of third-party involvement or suspicious circumstances.

Captain of Thai football team took his own life in UK

Dom passed away at Kettering General Hospital on 14 Feb, two days after he was found unconscious in his dormitory room.

At the time, media reports stated he had sustained a head injury after a fall.

“Mr Phromthep was not known to mental health services, and it is not known why he took the actions that he did,” Prof Mason said in the record of the inquest.

It could not have been foreseen or prevented.

Meanwhile, the police have found no evidence of third-party involvement or suspicious circumstances.

The inquest was opened on 22 Feb before it was closed on 4 Oct at Leicester Coroner’s Court.

Principal of Brooke House College Ian Smith said in a statement, according to the BBC, that the entire community remains united in grief with Dom’s family, friends and former teammates.

“We have robust safeguarding systems in place which enable us to provide appropriate support for students when needed, and we keep these systems under constant review so that we can do everything possible to provide the necessary support to every child,” he added.

“Dom will always remain a part of the Brooke House family and will be hugely missed.”

Ashes were brought back to Thailand from UK

Dom was enrolled at the Brooke House College football academy last year thanks to a scholarship from the Zico Foundation, founded by legendary Thai footballer Kiatisuk “Zico” Senamuang.

Due to his family’s financial constraints, Dom was cremated in the UK. Senamuang brought his ashes back to Thailand.

Eight months on, after learning of his son’s death, Dom’s father told Khaosod on Saturday (28 Oct) that the cause of death has no bearing on the family’s grief.

“The family is still grieving and can’t cope with the fact that Dom is no longer around.

“What the family can do and has always tried to do is make merit by offering food to monks with snacks and fruits that Dom likes,” Dom’s mother said. “We pray to send merit to him in accordance with our beliefs and the traditions of the villagers at Mae Sai.”

Was trapped in cave in 2018

Dom’s death came several years after he, along with the rest of his Wild Boars football team, became trapped in the Tham Luang cave complex in the northern province of Chiang Rai.

The boys and their coach were trapped underground for 17 days, after which British divers rescued them.

The case gained international attention.

Following Dom’s death, the other Wild Boars paid tribute to him, reported Khaosod.

“Rest in peace, my dear friend. We, 13 people, have been through a lot together, both suffering and happiness,” they said.

We have risked life and death and gone through all the hardships together. You said to wait and see when you join the national team. I always believed that you could do it.

“When we met last time before going to England, I still jokingly told you that I had to get your autograph back when I came back. Rest in peace, my friend. We will always be 13 of us together.”

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Featured image adapted from Khaosod.