The flame has been lit, officially marking the start of the 33rd SEA Games.

The opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games is continuing with the parade of the participating sports delegations.

The parade of the Vietnamese sports delegation - Photo: NAM TRAN

After the SEA Games 33 flame was lit, it marked the official start of Southeast Asia's largest sporting event . From tomorrow, December 10th, the competitions will be intense with fierce competition for medals.

The 33rd SEA Games brought together a total of 9,366 athletes competing in 574 events across 50 sports. Thailand had the largest number of participating athletes with 1,535, while Cambodia, after withdrawing from 9 sports, had the fewest participants at 84. Vietnam alone had a total of 835 athletes competing.

At 9:25 PM, former taekwondo female fighter Panipak Wongpattanakit, who won gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics, lit the SEA Games 33 flame.

The SEA Games 33 flame has been lit - PHOTO: NAM TRAN

PHOTO: NAM TRAN

PHOTO: NAM TRAN

At 9:16 PM, the torch relay and lighting ceremony for the 33rd SEA Games were introduced. The SEA Games torch departed from Bangkok, traveling through Chonburi, Songkhla, and Nakhon Ratchasima, with several athletes taking turns carrying it.

At 9:10 PM, the Thai and SEA Games Federation flags were raised, along with the oaths of the athletes and referees.

Photo: NAM TRAN

Photo: NAM TRAN

Photo: NAM TRAN

Photo: NAM TRAN

Photo: NAM TRAN

At 8:58 PM, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul delivered a speech on the 33rd SEA Games. This was followed by a speech from the King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, speaking about the noble spirit of sports.

8:47 PM: Host nation Thailand was the last sports delegation to enter the stadium.

Host nation Thailand parades last - Photo: NAM TRAN

8:46 PM: Athletes Le Minh Thuan and Le Thanh Thuy lead the Vietnamese sports delegation with flags in the parade.

The parade of the Vietnamese sports delegation - Photo: NAM TRAN

8:45 PM: Timor Leste is the 9th sports delegation to enter the stadium.

8:44 PM: The Singapore sports delegation enters the stadium.  

8:43 PM: The Philippine sports delegation enters the stadium in striking all-white uniforms.

8:42 PM: Next up are the Malaysian and Myanmar sports delegations.

The Malaysian delegation marching - Photo: NAM TRAN

8:40 PM: The Indonesian delegation is followed by the Laotian delegation, continuing the parade.

8:35 PM: The sports delegations begin marching into the stadium. First is the Brunei delegation, followed by Cambodia.

Brunei was the first delegation to march in the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games - Photo: NAM TRAN

At 8:20 PM, the program continued with "We Are One," showcasing ASEAN's solidarity . This was followed by reenactments of various sports.

At 8:05 PM, the King and Queen of Thailand, members of the Thai Royal Family, and the Organizing Committee observed a minute of silence in memory of Queen Mother Sirikit before the SEA Games 33 opening ceremony continued with the next part.

The King and Queen of Thailand observed a minute of silence in memory of Queen Mother Sirikit before the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games continued - Photo: NAM TRAN

At 7:50 PM , the King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, and the Queen arrived at the stadium to attend the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games.

At 7:40 PM , the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games was interrupted for quite a while because many officials had not yet arrived at the venue.

Photo: NAM TRAN

Photo: NAM TRAN

Photo: NAM TRAN

At 7:05 PM, the show opened with a musical performance by the famous Thai singer Violette Wautier (32 years old) , who created a lively atmosphere.

Singer Violette Wautier opening the ceremony - Photo: NAM TRAN

Photo: NAM TRAN

At 6:37 PM, a large crowd of fans had arrived at Rajamangala Stadium to watch the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony, themed "We Are One," emphasized the unity of ASEAN.

Clip: Thanh Dinh

Fans take advantage of the time to take selfies while waiting for the opening ceremony - Photo: NAM TRAN

Although the opening ceremony hadn't started yet, a large crowd of spectators had already gathered at Rajamangala Stadium - Photo: NAM TRAN

The number 50 is the number of sports that will be contested at the 33rd SEA Games - Photo: NAM TRAN

The stage is ready for the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games - Photo: NAM TRAN

The word "One" is used to convey three meanings: unity, being number one in victory, and a new beginning.

The SEA Games are returning to Thailand, where this regional sporting event originated 66 years ago, in 1959, under the name SEAP Games. Therefore, this edition is considered a moment of "returning to our roots" and paving the way for a new chapter in the history of the SEA Games.

The opening ceremony will include five performances, each with its own unique highlight. The program will begin spectacularly, taking the audience back in time to the origins of the SEA Games and igniting a passion for the sport.

The cultural highlights will showcase the region's rich diversity and how it blends together. Another segment will focus on the strength and fighting spirit of the athletes, expressed through powerful choreography combined with modern performance technology.

Another notable highlight of the SEA Games 33 opening ceremony was the celebration of friendship and "shared victory" across Southeast Asia. The aim was to instill in viewers a deep sense of pride in the talent, creativity, technology, performance, music, and sports of the Thai people.

Audiences can also experience an immersive multimedia visuals, lighting, sound, and special effects on a large scale, along with the friendship and solidarity among the 11 participating nations.

One of the most anticipated moments of the opening ceremony was the performance by Thai K-pop star BamBam Kunpimook, who had prepared a special show exclusively for the event.

In addition, the event will feature many other world-renowned Thai artists, from beauty queens to famous singers and songwriters such as Jeff Satur, Suchata “Opal” Chuangsri, Proxie, LYKN, BNK48, and Butterbear. They are all expected to create an inspiring performance for the audience.

The highlight of the opening ceremony was the lighting of the SEA Games torch in a new format, which is expected to become one of the iconic images of the 33rd SEA Games.

The 33rd SEA Games took place from December 9th to 20th in Thailand. The Vietnamese sports delegation consisted of 1,165 members, including 842 athletes, 189 coaches, and 19 experts, competing in 47 out of 66 sports, with 443 out of a total of 573 events.

The head of the Vietnamese sports delegation is Mr. Nguyen Hong Minh, Deputy Director of the Department of Physical Education and Sports.

The Vietnamese sports delegation aims to win between 91 and 110 gold medals at the 33rd SEA Games, ranking in the top 3 of the overall medal standings.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dai-lua-duoc-thap-sang-sea-games-33-chinh-thuc-bat-dau-20251209122758528.htm