From tug of war to wooden ball, Thailand organizes a series of 'unique' sports at SEA Games 33

Host Thailand will bring many new sports to the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).

SEA Games 33 is expected to be the most exciting event - Photo: The Standard

The 33rd SEA Games, taking place in Thailand from December 9 to 20, promises to be an explosive and colorful event. With 50 official sports and 4 demonstration sports, the host country will not only bring top-notch competitions but also introduce a series of "unique" sports.

New sports

The year 2025 marks a strong transformation of the SEA Games when it opens its doors to welcome sports trends that are popular among young people around the world:

Kiteboarding: First appeared, this extreme sport combines surfing and paragliding.

Athletes will use the power of the wind to glide across the water and perform beautiful acrobatic techniques, promising to turn Thai beaches into eye-catching performance stages.

Laser Obstacle Course : A modern variation of the pentathlon. Athletes must overcome a series of grueling challenges: running, climbing over obstacles and shooting a laser gun. It is a comprehensive test of speed, endurance and precision.

Teqball: A unique combination of soccer and table tennis. Playing on a curved table, players must use skillful ball control techniques to create eye-catching attacks.

Host Thailand is the "bogeyman" in teqball - Photo: THANH DINH

Baseball 5 & Hockey 5s: "High-speed" versions of baseball and hockey. The number of players is reduced to 5 per team, the field is smaller, the rules are simplified, making the game more fast-paced and attractive, suitable for the tastes of urban audiences.

Honoring identity

Besides modernity, Thailand also cleverly incorporates sports with strong cultural imprints:

Thai Chess : At first glance, it looks like chess but the rules of the game are completely different. This is an opportunity for the host country to promote Thai intelligence and culture to the region. However, it is also a challenge for other countries to compete with Thailand for medals.

Woodball: This sport is considered the "common man's golf". Players use wooden sticks to hit the ball through gates on grass or sand. Although it seems easy, woodball requires extreme dexterity and calculation.

Kabaddi: A combat sport originating from South Asia, it is likened to a life-or-death game of cat and mouse. Requiring no equipment, Kabaddi is a battle of physical strength, agility and team-building tactics.

Tug of war also participated

The interesting highlight of SEA Games 33 is the 4 demonstration sports.

Tug of war also appeared at SEA Games 33

Tug of war: A popular folk sport that appeared at the Olympics in the early 20th century has returned. Not simply a matter of strength, tug of war at the SEA Games requires the absolute unity and coordination of the entire team.

MMA (Mixed Martial Arts): The world's fastest growing combat sport is making its debut to test the waters. It's a bold move to attract young people and international media.

Air Sports (Paragliding and Motorized Paragliding): Taking advantage of the beautiful natural landscape, Air Sports are expected to stimulate adventure tourism in the land of golden temples.

Discus Throw: A sport that emphasizes entertainment, flexibility and Fair-play spirit.

The combination of traditional Olympic sports and new sports shows Thailand's ambition to turn the 33rd SEA Games into not only a sports tournament, but also a colorful cultural and entertainment festival, attracting audiences of all ages in the region.

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THANH DINH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tu-keo-co-den-bong-go-thai-lan-to-chuc-hang-loat-mon-doc-la-o-sea-games-33-20251130103055011.htm