The King declared the opening of the 33rd SEA Games
In the early evening of December 9, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana and Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana will appear to be welcomed by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and senior officials. After signing the guestbook and briefly meeting with representatives of the organizing committee, the Thai Royal Family will enter the stands. At the same time, this is also the time when the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games officially begins.
Unlike the explosive opening of previous SEA Games, the 33rd SEA Games opening ceremony will be more subdued, as the organizers will hold a memorial service for Queen Mother Sirikit, creating a rare emotional highlight in a sports opening ceremony. This is Thailand's way of expressing gratitude to the Royal Family and the Queen Mother's contributions to Thailand.
The King and Queen of Thailand will appear at the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Immediately after the ceremony, Rajamangala Stadium was "dressed" with modern performance technology. The organizers used about 800,000 liters of water to turn the field into a "sea of light", combining LED lighting systems, field projections and programmed water effects. More than 1,500 people, including dancers, athletes and technical crews, created continuous layers of movement across the field. The most prominent performances in this performance were performances by BamBam (GOT7) and the group "7 Friends of SEA Games". In addition, the presence of the Royal Bangkok Orchestra also brought a strong Thai musical tone, interspersed with youthful performances, helping the ceremony balance tradition and modernity.
SEA Games 33 before opening time Bomb disposal task force deployed, tightening security in Rajamangala
Thai cultural characteristics
The martial arts performance was also one of the highlights of the opening ceremony. Muay legend Buakaw Banchamek participated in a performance with the mark of Thai martial arts. The typical schools of Southeast Asia were also introduced continuously, from music to performance movements, emphasizing the spirit of discipline and cultural identity in the region. Through each stage scene, the story of the diversity of Southeast Asian sports culture was clearly shown.
The King of Thailand will declare the opening of the 33rd SEA Games.
Photo: Reuters
After the artistic performances, the torch lighting ceremony took on a special color when the organizers chose the central image of "Royal Flame". While previous SEA Games often emphasized the message of "blue flame" and environmental factors, this year Thailand chose the Royal symbol as the highlight. The flame passed through many provinces, passed to nearly 300 people as a long journey between the past, present and future of Thai sports, before arriving at Rajamangala Stadium. In the final stage, three typical faces including Panipak Wongpattanakit (2020, 2024 Olympic taekwondo gold medal), Somjit Jongjohor (2008 Olympic boxing gold medal) and 12-year-old talent Vareeraya Sukasem - an athlete who participated in the 2024 Olympics - will light the cauldron together. The moment the torch is lit at Rajamangala is expected to spread pride and send a message about the Thai Royal Family's witness and support for the 33rd SEA Games.
According to the Thai media, the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games was notable for two things: the solemnity of the Royal ceremony and the novelty of the performance. The presence of the King, Queen and Princess was considered a differentiating factor, while the water stage, lighting effects and the selection of young artists helped the program reach a wider audience. The 33rd SEA Games began with moments that were deeply Thai, but still sent a message of uniting countries in the region through sports and culture.
The Vietnamese delegation and host Thailand marched last.
A notable part of the opening ceremony was the parade of sports delegations around the stadium. The organizers arranged the delegations in alphabetical order. Therefore, the Vietnamese sports delegation marched near the end, right before the host country Thailand, with two athletes carrying the flag: Le Thanh Thuy (volleyball) and Le Thanh Thuan (karate).
The opening ceremony of SEA Games 33 lasts 2 hours from 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on VTV, VTVgo, FPT Play, VTC, VTVCab, THVL, HTV...
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/su-kien-cuc-hap-dan-hom-nay-lua-hoang-gia-thap-sang-sea-games-33-xem-phat-truc-tiep-o-dau-185251208230155366.htm
![[Video] The craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings has been inscribed by UNESCO on the List of Crafts in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/402x226/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/12/10/1765350246533_tranh-dong-ho-734-jpg.webp)
Comment (0)