Cambodia worries athletes are 'not welcome', Thailand affirms 'removing politics from sports'

SEA Games 33 - Ảnh 1. — Mr. Vath Chamroeun, Secretary General of the Cambodian Olympic Committee - Photo: THAIRATH

"Cambodia will participate in the 33rd SEA Games as previously planned," Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) - Mr. Vath Chamroeun announced to the media on the afternoon of December 8.

This is the second time Cambodia has affirmed this stance today, after former Prime Minister Hun Sen announced the same thing the same morning - just a few hours after the latest conflicts occurred on the border between Thailand and Cambodia.

On the afternoon of December 8, Mr. Thana Chaiprasit - head of the Thai sports delegation at the 33rd SEA Games - also met with the press to answer questions related to Cambodia.

"To welcome the Cambodian athletes, we arranged for them to stay in the same hotel and ensure absolute security. There will always be police cars escorting each Cambodian athlete team when they arrive at the stadium and return to the hotel," said Mr. Chaiprasit.

The head of Thailand's sports delegation also called on the country's people to "keep politics out of sports", amid concerns from Cambodia.

"We had a meeting, the Cambodian side is worried that their athletes will not be welcome in Thailand.

We need to put aside politics and build our relationship with Cambodia at the SEA Games based on pure sportsmanship. I ask the Thai people to help the Cambodian athletes until the end of the SEA Games," Mr. Chaiprasit added.

Previously, the Director General of the Sports Authority of Thailand, Mr. Kongsak Yodmanee, also revealed that "there will be police in uniform and plainclothes surrounding the Cambodian sports delegation" to ensure maximum security at the SEA Games.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/campuchia-lo-vdv-khong-duoc-chao-don-thai-lan-khang-dinh-gat-bo-chinh-tri-khoi-the-thao-20251208181432544.htm