Three young soccer players who were trapped with other team members for almost three weeks in a cave in northern Thailand were granted Thai citizenship on Wednesday along with their 25-year-old coach.
All four had been stateless, and their lack of citizenship deprived them of some basic benefits and rights, including the ability to travel outside of Chiang Rai, the northern province where they live.
The area is home to ethnic minorities with roots in neighbouring Myanmar.
The boys and coach were among 13 people who were trapped in the cave until their dramatic rescue by scuba divers last month.