Cambodia denies cutting SEA Games delegation to Thailand by 96% amid border tension

According to Thai newspaper Thairath on Aug. 4, during a meeting of the Committee for Sports, Athlete, and Official Selection for the 33rd SEA Games, Thana Chaiprasit, Secretary-General of the Thai Olympic Committee (TOC), stated that Cambodia would only send 57 delegates, a 96% reduction from the number previously confirmed by the neighboring country.

The report also claimed that, while Cambodia is sending a modest contingent, host country Thailand will deploy as many as 2,134 athletes to participate in all sports. Following Thailand are Singapore with 1,973 athletes, Malaysia with 1,824 athletes, while Vietnam is expected to send 863 athletes.

Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, and Timor Leste have requested a two-week extension to complete their registration, with the final deadline set for Sept. 1.

However, Vath Chamroeun, Secretary-General of the Cambodian Olympic Committee asserted on Phnom Penh Post on Aug. 5 that Cambodia has not finalized the number of participating athletes, and that all information published by Thai media is unreliable.

"We have not made any commitments, except for encouraging our athletes to continue training. Everything will depend on the actual situation, and we are still waiting for the government’s final decision. There is still a long way to go," Chamroeun said.

Audiences at the opening ceremony of SEA Games 32 in Cambodia, May 5, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Lam Thoa

Following a border conflict between the two countries that escalated into deadly military clashes last month, some reports suggested that Thailand was considering banning the Cambodian delegation from participating in SEA Games 33 due to safety concerns for their athletes and sports officials.

However, the SEA Games Council and the TOC quickly announced that Thailand has no authority to ban any country from participating, as doing so would violate the Olympic Charter.

Cambodia also confirmed it has not withdrawn from SEA Games 33 and will send athletes according to the schedule. They reiterated their stance that politics should not interfere with sports and emphasized that sporting relations with Thailand should be kept separate from border issues or any political conflict.

In reality, some Cambodian football teams have recently cut ties with Thai jersey sponsors and have stopped choosing Thailand as a destination for preseason training camps, breaking with tradition.

At SEA Games 32, hosted by Cambodia, tensions also arose during the Kun Khmer and Muay Thai competitions. Thailand subsequently chose not to send athletes to compete in the traditional martial art of its neighboring country.

The SEA Games is the largest sporting event in Southeast Asia, bringing together member nations to compete in a variety of sports. The event is held every two years and rotates among host countries.

This year’s edition will be held in three locations in Thailand - Bangkok, Chonburi, and Songkhla - from Dec. 9 to 20, 2025. Athletes will compete in 50 sports with 574 sets of medals up for grabs.

SEA Games sports this year continue to be divided into three categories. Athletics and swimming are classified as Group One - mandatory events. Group Two includes at least 15 Olympic, Asian Games, or Asian Indoor Games sports, such as football, volleyball, shooting, and archery. Group Three consists of local sports that the host nation excels in, but only up to two of these sports, with a total of eight events, are permitted.