Twelve Thai boys who were rescued from a flooded cave have taken part in a prayer ceremony to mark the end of their short period as novice Buddhist monks. Their gruelling 18-day ordeal in the cave in July claimed the life of an experienced diver. The group had entered the sprawling Tham Luang cave to go exploring after football practice on 23 June but monsoon rains soon filled the tight passageways, blocking their escape. The boys made the gesture of becoming monks to give thanks for their rescue