(KPL/VNA) The 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 33), the region’s largest sporting event, officially opened at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on the evening of December 9.

The opening ceremony was presided over by the King and Queen of Thailand, with the participation of senior leaders of the host country, sports officials from the 11 ASEAN member states, representatives of the participating delegations, and sports fans from across Southeast Asia. Vietnam was represented at the event by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung.

Prior to the official proceedings, all spectators observed a one-minute silence in memory of Queen Mother Sirikit, who passed away in October. During her lifetime, Queen Mother Sirikit, together with King Bhumibol Adulyadej, devoted great efforts to promoting sports in Thailand.

The ceremony opened with a large-scale light performance depicting the 11 Southeast Asian nations, accompanied by greetings in each country’s language. In keeping with this year’s theme, “We are one – connected by the SEA”, a major highlight was a performance featuring water sports such as artistic swimming and jet-ski racing, symbolising both unity and the maritime character of the region. This was followed by artistic displays recreating various competition events through dynamic geometric light formations.

The organisers also revisited the history of the previous 32 SEA Games, with Vietnam honoured as the host of the 2003 and 2021 editions.

Following performances by popular K-pop group GOT7 alongside several Thai artists was a parade of the 11 participating delegations, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and host Thailand.

In his official opening address, Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn extended warm congratulations to all athletes, coaches, and representatives of the participating nations, affirming that the SEA Games serve as a key platform to promote friendship and solidarity within the Southeast Asian community. He expressed his hope that the 33rd SEA Games will be conducted in perfect harmony, with transparency and fairness, fulfil its noble objectives, and further strengthen regional unity.

The 33rd SEA Games will run until December 20, featuring 50 sports with a total of 574 medal events. Notably, host Thailand has included 37 Olympic sports, marking a significant step towards aligning the Games with global standards and creating a solid foundation for Southeast Asian athletes in their preparation for major international competitions.

KPL