Their Majesties the King and Queen will preside over the ceremony, while “BamBam” Kunpimook Bhuwakul from the popular K-pop group GOT7 will perform alongside several other Thai artists, with Muay Thai legend Buakaw Banchamek also participating in the event.
Flag-bearers - badminton star Kunlavut Vitidsarn and boxer Janjaem Suwannapheng - will lead the Thai contingent into the stadium, with up to 500 athletes joining the parade, reports the Bangkok Post.
Although the build-up to the Games has so far been subdued, for the athletes, the tournament carries weight far beyond the atmosphere in the stands. For Thai athletes, the Games represent a chance to reclaim regional supremacy and revive the country’s proud sporting tradition.
The SEA Games have long been a showcase of national pride, with Thailand finishing as overall champions seven times - second only to Indonesia’s 10 triumphs.
Yet the golden glow has faded in recent years: Thailand last topped the medal table in 2015 in Singapore, while Vietnam surged ahead to dominate the past two editions in Hanoi and Phnom Penh.
That history adds an extra layer of urgency: this year, the hosts want nothing less than a return to the throne.
The scale of Thailand’s campaign is immense. A delegation of 1,531 athletes - 833 men and 698 women - will march into competition across 50 medal sports.
Beyond the traditional disciplines, fans will also enjoy new additions: air sports, tug of war, flying discs, and mixed martial arts, all included as demonstration events to highlight the evolving face of the Games.
From Dec 9-20, the action will unfold across 574 medal events, with Bangkok and Chon Buri serving as the main hubs. Yet the Games will stretch far beyond the capital. Chiang Mai, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Ratchaburi, Rayong, and Samut Prakan will all play host, turning Thailand into a nationwide festival of sport.
Some competitions, including badminton, baseball, men’s football and polo, have already kicked off, giving fans an early taste of the drama to come.
Expectations are sky-high and projections from 50 sporting associations suggest Thai athletes could capture as many as 241 gold medals.
Rowing and athletics are tipped to lead the charge with 18 and 17 golds respectively, while sepak takraw - a sport Thailand has long dominated - is targeting 11. Muay Thai and ju-jitsu are expected to deliver 10 apiece, boxing nine, taekwondo seven, and cycling six.
The numbers are bold, but the ambition is clear: Thailand wants to leave no doubt about its place at the top of Southeast Asian sport.
Football: The crown jewel
The most coveted gold medal remains men’s football, with U23 coach Thawatchai Damrong-ongtrakul insisting the team will go all out to win the title, something Thailand have not achieved since 2017.
“The last time we won the men’s football gold was in 2017, so we are aiming to win the title again this time in our home tournament,” said the coach.
Thawatchai’s team started the campaign with a comprehensive 6-1 victory over Timor-Leste and will face Singapore in the second match of Group A on Thursday, while defending champions Indonesia are in Group C with Myanmar and the Philippines. Group B consists of Vietnam, Malaysia, and Laos.
Expectations are also high for the women’s team. The Chaba Kaew last triumphed in 2013 in Myanmar, and coach Nuengrutai Srathongvian - who replaced Japan’s Futoshi Ikeda earlier this year - is targeting a breakthrough on home soil after a bronze medal finish in Phnom Penh two years ago.
They began the campaign with an 8-0 rout of Indonesia and will take on Singapore tomorrow.
Royal presence on the water
After 58 years, the SEA Games will see another Thai royal competing in sailing as it was announced that Her Majesty the Queen will join the Thai team in the keelboat SSL47 event.
The competition is scheduled for Dec 15–18 at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club.
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, who competed in sailing at the Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games in 1967, and Princess Ubolratana were joint winners in the OK dinghy class of the sailing event, also held in Pattaya.
Apart from sailing, the Queen is an avid sportswoman, with interests ranging from ice hockey to cycling and running.
Taekwondo: A new era
With double Olympic champion Pani- pak Wongpattanakit retiring after the Paris Olympics last year, Banlung Tubtimdang has stepped into the spotlight in a crucial transitional period.
The 20-year-old captured his maiden world title in China in October and will make his SEA Games debut in the 66kg division under the guidance of coach Choi Young-Seok.
Apart from Banlung, Phannapa Harnsujin and Sasikarn Thongchan are tipped for glory in kyorugi (combat) events, while the poomsae team is expected to contribute several golds.
Volleyball: Queens of court
The Thai women’s volleyball team will set out on their quest for a record-extending 17th SEA Games title.
Led by Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai, who returned as coach last year, the team has strung together 15 successive title victories dating back to 1995.
Vietnam will again pose the biggest threat, though they will be without star player Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen. The men’s team, under Korean coach Park Ki-Won, are tipped to reach the final, according to Somporn Chaibangyang, president of the Thai Volleyball Association.
Athletics: Puripol returns
All eyes will be on sprint sensation Puripol Boonson, who returns to where it all began. Puripol burst onto the scene at the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam, winning a treble of sprint golds at just 16 years old.
Since then, he has become one of Asia’s brightest young stars, reaching the semi-finals at the Paris Olympics and winning silver medals at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships.
He also made history as the first Thai sprinter to medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Peru.
After skipping the 2023 Games in Cambodia, Puripol will spearhead Thailand’s athletics team in front of a home crowd.
With the Asian Games in Japan looming, Thailand 2025 will serve as a perfect test run for “Thep Bew” (Angel Bew).
Boxing: Fighting spirit
Thai boxers have a long history of excelling at international level, and fighting in front of a home crowd should bring out the best in the 17 fighters (nine men and eight women) competing at Thailand 2025.
The target has been set at nine gold medals, matching the tally from Phnom Penh.
“Our main contenders will likely come from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Fighters from these countries are technically sound and physically strong. But we have the advantage of home soil. With the support of fans, I believe that will give our athletes the edge,” said Pol Lt Gen Chaiwat Chotima, vice-president and secretary-general of the Thailand Boxing Association.
Olympic bronze medallist Janjaem, the only Thai fighter to win a medal at Paris 2024, will be gunning for another SEA Games gold. Fellow Olympians Chuthamat Raksat, Baison Manikon, Thitisan Panmot, Weerapon Jongjoho, and Bunjong Sinsiri also feature in the squad.
Challenges and changes
Thailand 2025 was originally due to take place in Bangkok, Chonburi, and Songkhla, but devastating floods in southern Thailand forced organisers to relocate 10 sports scheduled for the province.
These include men’s football (Group C), muay thai, chess, kabaddi, pencak silat, judo, petanque, karate, wrestling, and wushu, which will now be staged in Bangkok, Chonburi, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, and Pathum Thani.
The build-up was further disrupted by Cambodia’s late withdrawal from nine sports, citing “significant security concerns.” The country will compete in only 12 sports at the biennial tournament.
Cambodia representatives confirmed during the SEA Games Federation meeting yesterday that their athletes will participate despite the latest eruption of fighting on their disputed border.