All 10 sports that Songkhla was scheduled to host in the upcoming 33rd SEA Games have now been relocated to Bangkok, due to the ongoing flood crisis in the southern province.
Originally, group stage matches in men’s football, judo, kabaddi, chess, pencak silat, karate, wrestling, wushu, petanque and Muay Thai were set to take place in Songkhla, one of three host cities, alongside Bangkok and Chon Buri, for the region’s biennial sporting event, opening on December 9.
Preparations in Songkhla have been thrown into disarray by some of worst flooding in decades, which continues to paralyse much of the province.
Given growing concerns over Songkhla’s ability to complete its preparations in time, for what would have been its first major international sporting event, Thai sports officials have confirmed that all 10 events will now take place in Bangkok.
“After Chaiyapak Siriwat, in his capacity as CEO of the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) Office, held talks with the SEAGF Council and Tourism and Sports Minister Atthakorn Sirilatthayakorn, all parties agreed to relocate the events, offering a total of 109 gold medals, to Bangkok,” said Chalitrat Chandrubeksa, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand (NOCT).
He also revealed that, during the discussions, several participating countries raised concerns, which ranged from the condition of venues after the floodwaters recede, to whether facilities could be made ready in time for international competition.
Some countries even expressed reservations about the potential for the spread of communicable diseases in the flood-stricken area, which could pose risks to the athletes.
Chalitrat added that Chaiyapak will formally notify the SEA Games Organising Committee of the venue change at a meeting on Thursday, followed by a briefing to the NOCT on Friday.
It is now the responsibility of each sports association to secure alternative venues in Bangkok in time for the scheduled competitions. Measures to compensate teams who have already paid for flights and accommodation in Songkhla are currently under consideration.
