Thailand hosts SEAG in 3 cities

Thailand is following what has become a trend in hosting the Southeast Asian Games as it is tapping three cities as venues for the 24th edition of the biennial sports conclave this December.

Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand’s third largest city also known as Khorat or Korat, will be the main venue while Bangkok and Pattaya play host to some events.

Malaysia started the trend in holding the games in Kuala Lumpur, Johore Baru and another city in 2001. Vietnam followed suit in staging the meet in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh in 2003 then the Philippines did the same, playing games in Manila, Bacolod, Cebu and Laguna.

The hosts intend to make the games a big spectacle as it coincides  with the commemoration of thhe revered Thai King’s 80th birthday.

The opening ceremony on Dec. 5, closing rites on Dec. 15 and most of the games will be held at the $65-million Nakhon Ratchasima Stadium.

The sports complex includes a 20-seater main stadium, a 5,000-seater indoor stadium and a 16-tennis court facility.

Thirty-one events, including  medal-rich athletics and swimming, are to be played in Nakhon Ratchasima, gateway to Laos with a population of nearly 150,000. The other sports disciplines slated here are diving, water polo, archery, badminton, basketball, billiards, bodybuilding, boxing, cycling, dancesport, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics, judo, karatedo, muay thai, pencak silat, petanque, rugby, sepak takraw, softball, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, beach volley, weightlifting and wushu.

Bangkok, the lone venue of the SEAG the first four times it was hosted by Thailand in 1959, 1967, 1975 and 1985, will now only host  baseball, bowling, futsal, lawn bowls, handball, hockey, polo, shooting and squash. Chiang Mai was the host city in 1995.

The resort city of Pattaya is the venue for canoe-kayak, equestrian, rowing, sailing, windsurfing, traditional boat race and triathlon.

Several other playing venues will be used in Nakhon Ratchasima including the Suranaree University of Technology Complex for football, fencing, petanque and archery, Vongchavalitkul University for taekwondo, badminton and dancesport, Keelapirom Stadium for basketball, Sima Thanin Hotel Grand Ballroom for billiards and snooker, Tumbon Mueangpug Gymnasium for boxing, Bonanza Golf and Country Club course for golf, Rajamangala University gym for judo, Chanapolkan Institute Hall for karatedo, Sungnoen Municipal Hall for pencak silat, Suranaree Camp Stadium for rugby, The Mall MCC Hall for sepak takraw, and Klang Plaza for table tennis.

A total of 485 gold medals in more than 400 events in 43 sports disciplines are up for grabs in the games where the Philippines is seeking a repeat of its overall championship at home front in 2005.

The hosts, however, are likely to go flat out to reclaim the crown before the home crowd and on the very occasion when they’re celebrating the 80th birthday of their king.

Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam are also likely to give the Philippines a strong challenge in the meet gathering close to 4,000 athletes from 10 nations.