Royalties give it a touch of class

The presence of dignitaries in the Southeast Asian region will add glitter and glamour to the hosting of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games set Nov. 27-Dec. 5 here.

First to arrive was Cambodian Prince Buddhapongh who came along with 27 athletes and officials of the Cambodian football team yesterday at the Centennial Airport.

Brunei Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah will also be here on Nov. 24. Another member of the Cambodian Royal family, Prince Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh, president of the Cambodian Sports Council, is set to arrive Nov. 25 aboard a private plane while Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannvari Nariratana of Thailand is expected here on the eve of the opening ceremonies.

Prince Buddhapongh was among the 378 foreign athletes and officials who arrived yesterday for the biennial meet.

Among them are the 28 members of the Singapore football men’s team, Indonesian football squad (28), Indonesian men’s cycling (18), Vietnam men’s football (30), Laos men’s football (28), Vietnam women’s football (25), Myanmar men’s football (23), Laos women’s football (24), Thailand equestrian team (9), Indonesian women’s cycling (17), and the Indonesian canoe-kayak team (14) while the rest are officials and referees.

Meanwhile, the SEA Games Accreditation Committee, headed by Ariel Paredes, is also looking into the case of an alleged fake Myanmar football player named Yan Paing.

Jose Raymond Thomas of Singapore’s News Today relayed the information on the questionable credentials of the said athlete who was allegedly born Nov. 27, 1983, stands 180 cm. and weighs 73 kgs.

Thomas, in his email to the SEAG Media Committee, alleged that Paing faked his date of birth. — Bong Castro