8 Thai athletes hospitalized over suspected food poisoning at SEA Games

By Hong Duy, Hieu Luong December 13, 2025 | 12:12 am PT

Vietnam’s U22 players have a meal at a hotel in Bangkok, Thailand on Dec. 4, 2025. Photo by Trung Thu

Eight Thai athletes at the 33rd SEA Games were hospitalized in Chonburi with symptoms consistent with food poisoning, officials said.

Rescue teams in Chonburi Province said they were alerted on the evening of Dec. 12 to eight emergency cases at a team lodging facility. The athletes suffered abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness and diarrhea, and were taken to Chonburi Hospital for treatment.

Medical officials later confirmed that all eight were members of Thailand’s national teams, including seven floorball players.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Sermsak Sumanon, head of the Thai delegation’s medical committee, the athletes had eaten boxed meals from an outside hotel at lunchtime on Dec. 11, before moving into the official SEA Games accommodation.

"The food was consumed before the athletes entered the organizers’ accommodation and is not linked to meals provided by the SEA Games," Sermsak said, adding that food supplied by the host hotels had been checked and ruled out as the cause.

The athletes’ condition has since stabilized. All have been discharged from hospital and returned to the team’s centralized hotel, where medical staff continue to monitor their health.

The incident has drawn renewed attention to meal arrangements at SEA Games 33. Several delegations have reported limited food variety, insufficient portions and dietary challenges, particularly for teams with specific nutritional or religious requirements.

Vietnamese teams, including football, futsal and volleyball squads, have raised concerns over repetitive menus and small boxed meals at hotels in Bangkok and Chonburi. Vietnam’s football federation said it had anticipated such issues and arranged supplementary meals from Vietnamese restaurants in Thailand.

Malaysia has also complained that halal meals promised by the host have not consistently met daily needs.

Beyond food, delegations have flagged logistical problems ranging from slow airport transfers to accommodation mix-ups in Chiang Mai. Vietnam has also protested repeated mistakes involving national flags during television broadcasts and medal ceremonies, including an error during a men’s U22 football match against Malaysia.

The Sports Authority of Thailand has acknowledged the issues and pledged swift corrective action. However, Thai delegation head Thana Chaiprasit warned that repeated operational lapses could harm Thailand’s image as the SEA Games host.