Thailand has confirmed that the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games in December will be held at Sanam Luang, while the closing ceremony will take place at Rajamangala National Stadium.
Additionally, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has been included as a new sport, though it will initially be classified as a demonstration event without medal contention.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong chaired yesterday meeting of the SEA Games 2025 and Asean Para Games 2025 organising committee. The meeting was attended by Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in her capacity of the committee's advisor, Gongsak Yodmani, governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, and other key officials.
"We have officially confirmed that the opening ceremony will be held at Sanam Luang. As for the closing ceremony, due to its complex nature, we decided on Rajamangala National Stadium instead. While I would have preferred both events to be at Sanam Luang, we are ensuring that every detail is designed to be as elegant and impressive as possible for Thailand," said Sorawong.
The meeting also approved the inclusion of MMA in the games following a request from the SEA Games Council. The sport will be categorised under a new group called "value-added sports," but for this edition, it will not contribute to the official medal tally as it will be held as a demonstration event.
Khunying Patama said that Thailand's hosting of the SEA Games and Asean Para Games should serve as a stepping stone towards bidding for the 2030 Youth Olympic Games. She also stressed the importance of engaging sports fans, integrating competitions without the need for new venues, ensuring transparent governance, and prioritising the well-being, hygiene, and safety of athletes.
The organising committee announced that athlete registration for the 2025 SEA Games will take place in two phases. The entry form by number will be open from April 8 to May 8, while the entry form by name will be open from May 15 to July 15.
The organisers are expecting around 9,000 athletes from 11 participating countries to take part in the Dec 9-20 tournament.
Asked whether Thai spectators would be allowed to watch the games for free, Sorawong confirmed that most sports will be open to the public at no cost to encourage widespread support. However, some mainstream sports may require ticket sales due to their popularity.
In a separate development, Khunying Patama revealed that the IOC executive board has provisionally recognised World Boxing (WB) as the official international federation governing boxing.
World Boxing was established in April 2023, and under its framework, Asian Boxing, a newly formed confederation, has emerged. Thailand's Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has been elected as the interim president of this confederation.
Asian Boxing was created after multiple unsuccessful attempts by World Boxing to gain the support of the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) and separate it from the International Amateur Boxing Association (Aiba).
