Two of the brave Australian divers who assisted with the remarkable rescue of a young soccer team and their coach have returned home.

Dr Richard Harris and dive buddy Craig Challen touched down at Edinburgh RAAF Base in South Australia on Thursday night.

Speaking to 9NEWS, Dr Harris gave some insight into his emotions during the Chiang Rai rescue operation that captivated the world.

Speaking outside his home in Adelaide, Dr Richard Harris is happy to be home after "a pretty amazing experience". Picture: 9NEWS (9news)

Richard Harris and Craig Challen on their RAAF flight home from Thailand last night. Picture: Facebook (Facebook)

The Thai boys are set to be released from hospital on Thursday. Picture: Supplied. (9news)

“There were some moments of significant fear, and then a great result and some really joyous moments to finish,” he said.

The doctor’s elation was soon followed by grief, with news of his father’s passing at the end of the rescue.

“It was a bittersweet moment.”

Dr Harris was on holidays when he was called upon for the complex mission; thirty years of cave diving experience made him the perfect man to reach, medically assess and retrieve the 12 boys and their coach.

Dr Harris, second left, with his wife Fiona, WA diver Craig Challen and, at left, Medstar boss Andrew Pearce at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Picture: Facebook (Facebook)

On the flight home from the so-called mission impossible, Dr Harris took to social media to praise the hundreds of international experts and volunteers.

“The pressure put on these guys was immense, and they never dropped the ball for a second.”

Mr Challen, a retired vet from Perth, told News Corp the most challenging part of the mission was the age of the boys.

Dr Harris (second left) and Dr Challen (centre) played a key role in the rescue mission. Picture: The Wet Mules (Supplied)

Dr Harris is an experienced diver who stayed with the Thai boys once they were discovered. Picture: Supplied (Nine)

"It was absolutely life and death. We didn't expect to be getting 13 people out of there alive," he said.

"(The) fact that you have got a living, breathing little tiny person that you are in charge of and you are very limited as to what you can do to help them, and it is a two hour journey out of the cave ... it was taxing."

He said the boys were sedated to keep them calm.

"We could not have panicking kids in there, they would have killed themselves and possibly killed the rescuer as well."

Thousands of people have joined the call for Dr Harris and Dr Craig Challen to be presented with the Cross of Valour, Australia's highest civilian bravery award with a change.org petition taking more than 33,000 signatures.

Back in Thailand, and the King has promoted and honoured ex-Navy Seal Saman Kunan, who died during the rescue efforts.

Some of the boys lost 5kg in the caves, but they've all got their appetites back now - with cravings once their back home including pork knuckle rice and sushi. Picture: Supplied (9news)

"I'm so happy thankyou so much", the boys have addressed the camera one by one from their hospital beds in Thailand. Picture: 9NEWS (9news)

The King's decree honoured him to lieutenant commander while honouring him with the royal decoration of Knigyht Grand Cross of Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant.

But for now, Dr Harris said his focus is on getting through his father's funeral, which will be held in the coming days. He then hopes to just get back to normal life as quickly as possible.

“I'm hoping to get back to work and you know, go through the funeral and celebrate dad's life and get everything back to normal.”

It comes as one by one, the Wild Boars addressed a camera from hospital, smiling, joking together and sending their thanks to the world for supporting them.

"I very thankyou - I'm so happy thankyou so much", says one of the boys, a hospital mask still covering his mouth as he sits up in his hospital bed.

The group have been told they'll be able to head home on Thursday.

"Hi my name is Mick, I am healthy", says another of the boys as he shows his bicep to the camera. "Thankyou for coming inside the cave to help me."

Some of the boys lost as much as 5kg during their time trapped inside the Tham Luang caves but have regained some of that weight now.

Dr Harris meets the Thai medical staff taking care of the 12 young boys. Picture: Supplied. (Supplied)

The two doctors have been hailed as heroes for their role in the rescue. Picture: AAP (Supplied)

Their appetites are also returning with the boys listing of the foods they're craving in the new videos - crispy pork rice, pork knuckle rice and sushi all among the requests.

More details have continued to surface about the team's trip inside the cave.

It has been revealed the boys were only meant to explore the cave for an hour before waters rose, trapping them inside.

Banphot Konkum, father of Duangpetch Promthep, one of the rescued Thai boys, shows his son's soccer jersey during an interview at their home in Mae Sai district. Picture: AAP (AAP)

The teammates climbed higher, using their hands to feel the walls for a crawl space that would lead to safer, higher ground.

Those handprints were among the first signs of where the boys were, what they had done to escape the floods, and what dangers rescuers would face in their mission to save the boys and their coach.

Banphot Konkum, father of 13-year-old Duangpetch Promthep, — better known by his nickname, Dom — said the team members didn't know rain had started falling after they had entered the cave on June 23. But the rain caused flooding in the cave, blocking them from exiting.

Mr Konkum shows a picture of his son in a recent photograph he took. Picture: AAP (AAP)

"After an hour when they wanted to leave, the water level was rising. They ran farther inside the cave to escape from the water. The water flow was strong," said Banphot.

In their search for a safe haven, the boys were reported to have used their hands to feel the walls for an opening to take them to a higher, safer spot. Searchers later found what they thought were the boys' handprints, giving them confidence the boys were alive and that the searchers were on the right path.

"They, all 13 of them, saw a small passage or a crawl space, so they all dug the hole to get through to another spot, until they found Nen Nom Sao," Banphot said, referring to the sandy slope on which they ended up sheltering. There was nowhere else to go.

Dom's grandmother, Kameay Promthep, said she would tell Dom never to go near the cave or water again because she doesn't want anything to happen to him or for him to cause trouble to others again.

"I will tell Dom that he has to thank all the Thai people from all over the country and people from all over the world who were kind enough to come and help Dom. Without the (Thai navy) SEALs, the officials, and everyone who came and helped, Dom wouldn't be here today. He would not be seeing his Grandma, and Grandma wouldn't see his face again. From now on, Dom will have to be a good person."

Banphot said all 13 rescued team members will enter the monkhood to pay tribute to Saman Kunan. Becoming a monk at a temple for at least a short period is a way of making merit in Thai Buddhist tradition.