Thailand cancels SEA Games 33 in Songkhla due to flooding

(NLDO) - Severe flooding in Songkhla province forced the 33rd SEA Games Organizing Committee to move the competitions scheduled to be held here to Bangkok or Chonburi.

Songkhla is one of three localities hosting the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand, along with Bangkok and Chonburi. This southern province is expected to host 10 sports , including men's football (Group B, with Vietnam), petanque, wrestling, muay, pencak silat, chess, judo, kabaddi, karate, and wushu.

Hat Yai town submerged in water

Over the past few days, 13 out of 16 districts and towns in Songkhla province have been severely affected by continuous heavy rains causing widespread flooding, submerging many residential areas and threatening people's lives. Hat Yai, the largest town in Songkhla province, recorded up to 595 mm of rainfall, causing the heaviest flooding in 300 years.

A working delegation from the Thai government, led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, has been in Hat Yai in recent days with Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn to inspect the situation and direct the implementation of measures to support the people.

The severe flood situation not only affects the daily lives of local people but also threatens the plan to organize the 33rd SEA Games, which will officially start on December 9.

On the morning of November 26, Vice President of the Thai Olympic Committee and CEO of the 33rd SEA Games Chaiphak Siriwat announced that the competitions scheduled to be held in Songkhla would be moved to Bangkok or Chonburi to ensure the safety of the participating delegations.

Songkhla severely affected by floods

At a meeting with SEA Games 33 CEO Chaiphak Siriwat and Tourism and Sports Minister Atthakorn Sirilathayakorn, representatives of the countries participating in the SEA Games expressed concerns about the infrastructure situation affected by the floods, including safety due to traffic conditions and the possibility of disease outbreaks after the water recedes.

Mr. Chaiphak Siriwat is expected to present the issue in detail at the meeting of the 33rd SEA Games Organizing Committee and officially notify the Olympic Committees of the countries on November 28. The National Sports Federation of Thailand of the 10 sports is required to prepare new competition venues, while ensuring that the competition schedule remains the same.

SEA Games 33 is unlikely to be held even after the finale in Songkhla.

Barring any other changes, the men’s football matches in Group B are scheduled to take place at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok. The opening match between Vietnam and Laos is also expected to be moved up a day, to December 3.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thai-lan-huy-to-chuc-sea-games-33-o-songkhla-vi-lu-lut-196251126171357811.htm