The coroner has determined that the leader of the Thai soccer team, who were trapped in a cave for multiple days in 2018, committed suicide while attending school in the United Kingdom.
Duangphet Phromthep passed away at Kettering General Hospital on February 14th, following an incident where they were discovered unconscious at Brooke House College in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, two days prior.
Following an investigation into the 17-year-old’s passing on October 4 at the Leicester Coroner’s Court, Professor Catherine Mason, the senior coroner for Leicester City and South Leicestershire, determined that the cause of death was suicide.
According to a report from the PA news agency, Mason stated in an inquest report that Duangphet did not have any history with mental health services and it is unclear why he carried out his actions. The investigation by the police did not uncover any signs of outside involvement or suspicious circumstances, and therefore, it could not have been predicted or stopped.
According to previous reports from the BBC, Duangphet, also called Dom, joined the football academy at Brooke House College as a student in late 2019.
The principal of the school, Ian Smith, expressed his condolences on Friday, stating that the community is still grieving over the passing of Dom and that he will be deeply missed.
He stated that the primary concern of our college is the health, wellbeing, and welfare of our students. This was evident in our recent safeguarding inspection by the ISI in April 2023. The inspection confirmed that students are aware of the many resources available to them and feel comfortable speaking up if they have any concerns. They also trust that their concerns will be addressed if they do raise them.
The coroner expressed gratitude to the entire college community for their exceptional student care, welfare, and safeguarding. They also recognized that this unfortunate incident could not have been predicted or avoided.
“Dom will forever be a cherished member of the Brooke House community and his absence will be deeply felt.”
Dom became well-known internationally for being the leader of the Wild Boars (known as Moo Pa in Thai) soccer team. In 2018, the team was stuck in the Tham Luang cave complex due to a flash flood that blocked their way out.
The group of boys, ranging from 11 to 16 years old, along with their 25-year-old coach, were stranded in darkness without food for nine days until they were located by a global search and rescue mission that involved approximately 10,000 individuals.
While trapped in the cave, Dom celebrated his 13th birthday. The boys’ images were televised globally. They were tranquilized and rescued by a team of divers, each one taken out individually. Some had to stay in the hospital for a couple of weeks due to lung infections they acquired while stuck in the cave.
Source: theguardian.com
