Thailand's rescued cave boys woke up in their own homes for the first time in more than three weeks on Thursday, with many rising at dawn to take part in a religious ceremony.

The 12 boys, ages 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach were discharged from a hospital in the northern province of Chiang Rai on Wednesday and later made their first public appearance.

During a national TV broadcast they smiled, joked and showed solidarity with one another, as they shared details of their traumatic experience inside the flooded Tham Luang cave complex.