Bangkok (VNA) – Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and President of the Vietnam Olympic Committee Nguyen Van Hung on December 9 visited and cheered on the Vietnamese sports delegation competing at the 33rd SEA Games, taking place in Thailand from December 9 to 20.
Nguyen Hong Minh, Deputy Director of the Sports Authority of Vietnam and Head of the delegation, reported that 28 teams with 552 members have arrived in Thailand, with several squads, including the men’s and women’s football teams, baseball, handball and badminton, already beginning competition as scheduled. An additional 160 athletes, including key teams in athletics, swimming and archery, were due to join the delegation later the same day.
He highlighted several early challenges related to transport, accommodation and training facilities. However, timely support from the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand and coordination with the host organisers helped resolve the issues, allowing athletes to concentrate fully on competition. Minh reaffirmed the delegation’s resolve to honour the commitments made to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the minister before departure and to strive for the highest achievements.
Hung shared PM Chinh’s encouragement with the delegation, urging coaches and athletes to give their all and make the country proud. He highlighted the SEA Games as the region’s top sporting event; Vietnam, having twice hosted and led the medal tally in recent editions, has shown remarkable strides in sports development.
He also emphasised the role of sports in promoting a positive and dynamic image of Vietnam internationally, urging the delegation to uphold solidarity and strengthen cooperation with peers across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the spirit of peace and friendship. On the occasion, the minister presented a 100 million VND (3,793 USD) reward fund to motivate athletes to deliver outstanding performances./.
