Bangkok, Thailand, December 10, 2025: The 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games officially opened on Tuesday, December 9 with a spectacular ceremony graced by Thai Royalty as well as Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
The opening ceremony saw the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok transformed into a symbolic stage of water, holding more than 800,000 litres of water, to celebrate the unity of the 11 participating nations through the metaphor of water, which is the element connecting the diverse region.
Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana were the Chief Guests at the ceremony.
According to Thai media, the Thai Queen will also compete at the Games - in sailing in the keelboat SSL47 event. She also led the massive Thai athlete contingent out at the team parade during the opening ceremony.
Prime Minister Anutin expressed Thailand’s honour in hosting the largest sporting event in Southeast Asia and announced: “On behalf of the Royal Thai Government, I respectfully declare the opening of the 33rd SEA Games.”
Over 12,000 athletes from 11 National Olympic Committees are taking part in the December 9-20 showpiece spread across 50 sports.
The ceremony featured over 700 performers, as laser beams, projection mapping and drone choreography carried the flame across the stadium. A Grand Cauldron was lit digitally by the final torchbearer, two-time Olympic taekwondo champion Panipak Wongpattanakit.
The biennial multi-sport event will be held in Bangkok and the eastern province of Chonburi with a total of 574 gold medals being contested for.
