The rescue in the remote mountain area of central Xaysomboun province has been a race against time.
Thunderstorms had been predicted for Friday evening along with rain in 60 per cent of the region.
Thai rescue team member Kengkard Bonggawong said on social media: “One person has got out of the cave safely.
“We will assess the other four and we will hunt for the other two tomorrow.”
Footage of the five men shot on Wednesday showed them miserable and caked in mud, telling rescuers they were suffering chest pains and starving hungry.
The rescue comes after experts had originally planned to pump out flood waters that were stopping the men from getting to safety.
That plan initially failed and a last resort was discussed of teaching the trapped men how to scuba dive and swim out.
It has not yet been disclosed exactly how the first man was brought to safety, but the rescuers say they will explain later.
