The Thai boys and their coach have spoken about their cave ordeal, where they dug holes to try to escape.

The 12 boys rescued from a cave in northern Thailand have played football with some of the Navy Seals who helped save them.

During their first public appearance since being saved, the boys, who are part of the football team Wild Boars, joined the Seals to have a kick about.

The Seals were instrumental in saving the boys, who spent more than two weeks trapped underground in a cave system with their coach.

Video of the moment the boys - dressed in green, white and black uniforms emblazoned with a red wild boar - met the Seals shows them passing the ball around.

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They also put on a quick demonstration of their ball-handling skills on a miniature football field that was set up in the hall where they met journalists from around the world.

The boys looked like they were enjoying the moment - they had just come from the hospital where they had been recuperating for more than a week.

During the rescue, one former Thai Navy Seals lost his life. Saman Gunan, 38, was a volunteer helper.

He had delivered air tanks to different locations along the route, but then did not have enough air for himself on the way out.

ABC NEWS/TWITTER The Thai soccer team rescued from a cave play soccer with the Thai Navy Seals who helped save them.

The boys have said that the ordeal made them stronger and taught them not to live carelessly.

All said they want to apologise to their parents, most of whom they had not been informed in advance about the trek to the cave after football practice.

Doctors said the 12 boys and their 23-year-old coach, Ekapol Chanthawong, 25, were healthy in body and mind.

VINCENT THIAN/AP Rescued soccer player "Titan" Chanin Vibulrungruang reacts after paying respect to a portrait of Saman Gunan, the former Thai Navy Seal diver who died in the rescue attempt.

Each of the boys is said to have gained about 3kg on average since they were rescued from the cave.

This contrasted to an average of 4kg lost during the more than two weeks they were trapped.

The news conference was the first opportunity the members of the team had to speak directly to the media, though video of them was released previously.