The seven students and three adults from the Border Christian School were due home on November 29 when protesters took control of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi international airport, cutting off their route home.

Kath Saunders said her family had been left feeling powerless when her daughter, Tiffany, received a text message from twin sister, Charli, 18, describing the ordeal in Thailand saying, “I’m scared, I’m cold, I’m wet and hungry and there are soldiers around with guns”.

“For a family to get that, we just felt really helpless,” Mrs Saunders said.

“Her twin sister just put her head on my lap — I started praying, her father started praying, but her brother was too emotional.

“I just thought God, please bring our daughter home.”

Their prayers were answered.

Charli said it felt “amazing” to be home and was looking forward to some much needed sleep and some of the basics only home could provide.

“But I think we’re stronger for the experience,” she said.

The students had been stranded at Ao Prao resort on Koh Samet island, off the eastern coast of the Thai province of Rayong, about 170km south-east of Bangkok, after working at an orphanage north of Chang Mai.

The group then made it to Utapao Airport, near Pattaya, where they flew out to Singapore before flying home via Sydney.

School chaplain Mike Parker returned home on an earlier flight and was at the airport to greet the rest of the group.

“I was so relieved I could have kissed the tarmac,” he said.

“It has been a rollercoaster — you would get good news then 10 minutes later everything has changed again.

“I was on the internet searching every possibility to get us out, but when I found nothing that was the lowest point and I felt trapped.

“But you refuse to accept any brick walls you come up against and when we took off from the military air base the plane just erupted in cheers.”

The relief was shared by group leader Estelle Williams as she greeted her father Greg Eames with a hug.

“As grown up as I think I am, it still feels good to see Dad,” she said.