Vietnamese athletes depart to Thailand for SEA Games 33

A Vietnamese sports delegation with 113 members today (December 7) departed from international airports in Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City to compete at the 2025 Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games 33) in Thailand.

Of the total, 81 left the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi for Bangkok.

Vietnam’s delegation includes nearly 1,200 members, with 842 athletes, 189 coaches and 19 experts. They will compete in 47 of 66 sports and 443 of 573 events at the region’s largest sporting event.

Sixteen teams have already arrived in Thailand and started competing, including the men’s soccer team, women’s soccer team and baseball team. On December 7, the cycling, canoeing, swimming, jet ski, sepak takraw and gymnastics teams traveled to Thailand.

SEA Games 33 will run from December 9 to December 20 in Thailand, with competitions in Bangkok, Chonburi and Songkhla. Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok will host the opening ceremony on the evening of December 9.

On December 8, Vietnam and other delegations will join the flag-raising ceremony in Bangkok. Volleyball player Le Thanh Thuy and karate fighter Le Minh Thuan will carry Vietnam’s flag during the opening parade.

Nguyen Hong Minh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration and Head of the Vietnamese Delegation, said the athletes will bring strong willpower, determination and national pride to every event.

He said the delegation will pursue the highest results and strive to bring honor to Vietnam, following Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s message at the send-off ceremony.

Canoeist Nguyen Thi Huong said she feels highly motivated because the previous SEA Games did not include canoeing. She and her teammates aim for strong results and hope to win medals for Vietnam.

“With the trust of fans and the support of Party and State leaders, along with the teams’ careful preparation, I believe Vietnam can complete its mission at this challenging SEA Games,” she said.

Vietnam delivered an exceptional performance at SEA Games 32 in Cambodia in 2023, when Vietnamese athletes won 136 gold medals and topped the overall standings for the first time at a SEA Games held outside Vietnam. Thailand followed with 108 gold medals and Indonesia ranked third with 86 gold medals.