The 33rd SEA Games will take place from December 9 to 20, 2025, at 3 main locations: Bangkok, Chonburi and Songkhla, with 574 events in 50 events. host Thailand is very determined to participate in the SEA Games at home.
According to Bangkok Post, a recent meeting of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand (NOCT) chaired by General Secretary Thana Chaiprasit to complete the common goal at the 33rd SEA Games for the Thai sports delegation was based on assessments submitted by different national sports associations.
Accordingly, Thailand aims to win 234 gold medals at the 33rd SEA Games. This figure is still much less than expected from the Thai Sports Development Agency (STA), which aims to win 288 gold medals.
The total number of medals discussed at the recent meeting was also less than the number of medals that 50 national sports associations that will participate in this year's SEA Games had predicted earlier.
However, NOCT advisor and SEA Chaiyapak Siriwat said he was skeptical about Thailand's chances of winning many gold medals.
Chaiyapak said: "I would like to ask all national sports associations to improve their training plans if they really want to achieve the goals they have set for themselves.
Thai fans expect us to compete well at the tournament, so we will try our best to meet their expectations.
The Thai gold medal is most expected in men's football. Since 2017, Thai men's football has not been able to win a gold medal. The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) has pledged to win all four gold medals at the SEA Games at home, including men's, women's and men's and women's futsal.
The Thais' biggest achievement could come from their track and field events, where the home team hopes to win at least 17 gold medals. Rowing is aiming to win 14 gold medals.
Other sports that are expected to make great contributions to the 33rd SEA Games for Thailand are English weightlifting, Muay Thai, ju-jitsu and cycling, each with 10 gold medals.
National cloud and shooting associations are aiming to win eight gold medals, while taekwondo and judo are aiming to win seven gold medals.
The last time the Thai sports delegation topped the SEA Games was in 2015, when they won 95 gold medals. In the last two SEA Games, the Vietnamese sports delegation took the lead. At the 32nd SEA Games, Vietnam took the lead with 136 gold medals, while Thailand ranked second with 108 gold medals.
If they win 234 gold medals at the 33rd SEA Games, Thai sports will make a new history when they surpass the record of winning 205 gold medals set by the Vietnamese sports delegation at the 31st SEA Games, taking place in 2022.
