Thailand as 2019 SEAG host?

MANILA, Philippines - While the Philippines has yet to formally announce before the SEA Games Council that it has pulled out as the 2019 host of the bienniel event, Thailand seemed to have taken over the responsibility.

As of yesterday, the official SEA Games website shows Thailand as host of the 30th SEA Games in 2019, with the 45,000-seat Tinsulanon Stadium as the main venue.

Brunei was the original host of the 2019 SEA Games but had to withdraw due to organizational woes. The Philippines took over as host but had to pull out after the national government announced last month that hosting the event is no longer a priority.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco tried to save the hosting, saying 2019 is still two years away, and that by that time, the Mindanao crisis should have been  contained. He wrote President Duterte a letter two weeks ago, saying hosting the next SEA Games is an opportunity for the country to prove the world that it’s a safe place.

But there was no response from the Palace. Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez had announced that instead of spending hundreds of millions of pesos to host the 30th SEA Games, the money will be used to help rehabilitate Mindanao, particularly Marawi City.

The SEA Games Council will meet on Aug. 17 and 18, just before the 29th SEA Games formally opens in Kuala Lumpur on Aug. 19.

It’s unlikely for President Duterte to change his mind, meaning Cojuangco will have to address the SEA Games Council this weekend regarding the 2019 hosting.

When the Kuala Lumpur edition comes to a close on Aug. 31, the Malaysians will turn over the SEA Games flag to the next host, most likely Thailand.