Recently, information about Thai athletes still not receiving living allowances for the past 4 months has caused public outrage.
According to information from the Thai press, this comes from the fact that the Thai Sports Festival has not yet transferred the budget approval dossier worth 480 million baht to the Public Audit Office.
This situation has lasted from May 2025 until now. The amount of money paid for March and April was just received by the athletes. This seriously disrupts training plans and affects the spirit of athletes.
Chairman of the SEA Games Organizing Committee - Mr. Chaiphak Siriwat said that this is a big problem that could affect the Thai team's goal of winning gold medals at this Games. He set a 2-week deadline to resolve the issues.
"The problem is not only money but also the spirit of athletes contributing to the country. Some association leaders even borrowed money from civil services to pay in advance to athletes. This should never happen in today's era.
If there is no money, then where should we get it? Don't let this situation continue. If that leads to a failure in the organization, it will be a disgrace to the whole of Southeast Asia," said Mr. Chaiphak Siriwat.
At the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, host Thailand aims to win 234 gold medals and top the total medal table.
