Thailand officially opened the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on Tuesday with a grand ceremony at Rajamangala National Stadium, marking the beginning of the country’s largest sporting event of the year. Their Majesties the King and Queen presided over the occasion, underscoring the national significance of the Games.
The ceremony featured a broad showcase of Thai culture and entertainment. Kunpimook “BamBam” Bhuwakul of the internationally known K-pop group GOT7 performed alongside several leading Thai artists, while Muay Thai legend Buakaw Banchamek took part in the proceedings, highlighting the nation’s cultural and sporting identity.
Thai flag-bearers Kunlavut Vitidsarn, a prominent badminton champion, and boxer Janjaem Suwannapheng led the national contingent into the stadium. Around 500 athletes participated in the parade, demonstrating Thailand’s extensive commitment to the regional competition.
Although the build-up to the event had been relatively subdued, the Games carried considerable weight for participating athletes. For Thailand, the tournament presented a renewed opportunity to restore its sporting prominence. The country had previously topped the medal table seven times, second only to Indonesia’s ten victories. However, Thailand had not led the medal tally since 2015 in Singapore, while Vietnam dominated the most recent editions in Hanoi and Phnom Penh.
This edition of the Games marked Thailand’s effort to reclaim its position. A total of 1,531 Thai athletes—833 men and 698 women—were registered to compete across 50 medal sports. In addition to traditional disciplines, the Games included new demonstration sports such as air sports, tug of war, flying disc, and mixed martial arts, reflecting shifts in regional sporting interests.
Between Dec 9 and 20, competitions unfolded across 574 medal events. While Bangkok and Chon Buri served as core venues, several other provinces—including Chiang Mai, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Ratchaburi, Rayong, and Samut Prakan—also hosted events, turning the Games into a nationwide celebration.
Some competitions, including badminton, baseball, men’s football, and polo, had already begun before the official opening. Forecasts from national sporting associations suggested that Thai athletes could potentially secure up to 241 gold medals, with rowing, athletics, sepak takraw, Muay Thai, and ju-jitsu expected to play leading roles.
The opening of the Games marked Thailand’s determined step to reassert its standing in Southeast Asian sport and to inspire renewed national pride.
EN
CN
DE
JP
TH
