The 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), hosted by Thailand, officially concluded with an impressive and emotional closing ceremony held on the evening of December 20 at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok.

The closing ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games takes place at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok.

The ceremony was attended by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister Thammanat Phromphao, Minister of Tourism and Sports Attakorn Sirilatthayakon, senior Thai sports officials, leaders of the Southeast Asian Games Federation, as well as heads of delegations, athletes and officials from participating countries.

Themed “The Sound of Champions”, the event conveyed a powerful message of determination, success, and friendship among athletes from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It combined music, the sporting spirit, and the Thai national pride into a visually striking performance that left a lasting impression.

Proceedings began with a minute of silence in remembrance of Queen Mother Sirikit, followed by a spectacular light, sound and visual performance titled “Echoes of the Whistle”.

Featuring well-known Thai artists such as Tah-U Pittaya and Kratae R-Siam, the performance celebrated victory and sporting excellence, creating a vibrant and memorable atmosphere.

A parade of athletes from all 54 sports then entered the stadium before Deputy Prime Minister Thammanat Phromphao, on behalf of the host nation, delivered a summary of the Games.

At the ceremony, Associate Professor Pimol Srivikrom, President of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, handed over the SEA Games flag to Kong-Ek Chaipak Siriwat, Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the Southeast Asian Games Federation.

The flag was subsequently presented to Dr. Mohammed Taufik bin Johari, Malaysia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, representing the host country of the 34th SEA Games.

At the 33rd SEA Games, host Thailand topped the medal table for the first time in a decade, since the 2015 Games in Singapore. The Thai delegation collected a total of 233 gold, 154 silver, and 112 bronze medals from 573 events, securing the first place overall for the 14th time.

This also set a new record for the highest number of gold medals won at a SEA Games, surpassing Vietnam’s previous record of 205 golds at the 31st SEA Games in 2022.

Vietnam finished third overall with 87 gold, 81 silver, and 110 bronze medals, behind Thailand and Indonesia (91 golds, 111 silvers, and 131 bronzes).

The Vietnamese sports delegation at the closing ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games.

Speaking to the Vietnamese media covering the Games, Nguyen Hong Minh, head of the Vietnamese sports delegation, said Vietnam had fulfilled its three key objectives: maintaining and enhancing its position among the region’s best, making breakthroughs in key disciplines, especially Olympic sports, and projecting the image of a civilised, professional and disciplined delegation in the eyes of international friends.

The 33rd SEA Games saw nine of the ten participating delegations win at least one gold medal, with Timor-Leste the only exception. A notable downside was Cambodia’s withdrawal shortly after the opening ceremony on December 9, citing security concerns amid the escalating border tensions with Thailand.

Thailand will prepare to host the 13th ASEAN Para Games from January 20 to 26, 2026, in Nakhon Ratchasima province. The Games will feature 19 sports and 534 medal events.

The 34th SEA Games will be hosted by Malaysia from September 18 to 29, 2027, across four cities – Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak, Penang, and Johor with 38 sports planned for competition.

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