Former Wild Boars Coach Ekkapol Chantawong Survives Flash Floods in Northern Thailand, Drawing on Cave Rescue Experience

Ekkapol Chantawong, known for coaching the young Wild Boars football team during their 2018 cave ordeal, found himself in a similar life-threatening situation, this time due to flash floods. Living in Mae Sai, northern Thailand, he and his family were forced onto the roof of their home when floodwaters rapidly rose following Typhoon Yagi. The sudden deluge left them without time to escape, resulting in an overnight stay on the roof alongside his girlfriend and her aunt.

The intense rains brought by Typhoon Yagi caused severe flooding and landslides across northern Thailand, as well as parts of Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. Ekkapol recounted how the floodwaters swept through his village on a Tuesday morning, quickly trapping his household. With water levels continuing to rise, they had no choice but to climb to the roof and wait through the night for the situation to improve.

Drawing on his 2018 experience being trapped with the Wild Boars in the Tham Luang cave, Ekkapol relied on similar skills to remain calm during the flash flood. Despite his fear, he concentrated on staying composed and assessing the situation. By Wednesday, the floodwaters had receded enough to allow them access to the ground floor, but the strong current outside still made it too dangerous for them to leave.

Reflecting on both emergencies, Ekkapol noted that the lessons he learned during the cave rescue proved invaluable in managing the challenges presented by the flood. He stressed that, as in the cave, the key to overcoming the flood was maintaining focus and taking steps to solve the immediate problem. For him, the pressure felt no greater than what he had faced previously, and he remained optimistic about finding a way through.

When asked if he anticipated another experience like this in the future, Ekkapol responded with humor. He said he couldn’t predict what might happen but expressed his hope that he wouldn’t need to spend another night stranded on a roof. Despite the repeated exposure to such harrowing events, his humor and ability to draw strength from past adversity exemplify his resilience.