The Philippines has reaffirmed its full commitment to compete in the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand despite major schedule and venue changes prompted by severe flooding in Songkhla, sports officials said.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham Tolentino said most national sports associations have not expressed any intention to withdraw from their events. Tolentino met with the Thailand SEA Games Organizing Committee (THAISOC) this week as the hosts began redrafting the Games calendar.
Organizers of the coming SEA Games have informed the Philippine Olympic Committee president Tolentino, that 10 new facilities will replace the ones that have been submerged by floods in Songkhla.
“It’s just the travel schedule and the venues that have changed,” said Tolentino, after emerging from an online meeting on Thursday evening with officials of the Thailand SEA Games Organizing (THAISOC).
, led by Chaiyapak Siriwat, is revising the schedule after days of heavy rainfall left several Songkhla venues—among them the Tinsulanon Stadium—unusable. Events in 10 sports are now being moved to other provinces.
The disruption has caused some countries to reconsider their participation. Cambodia has withdrawn from eight sports, citing the venue shifts and security concerns following a recent diplomatic dispute with Thailand. Singapore, meanwhile, is still assessing whether to pull out from additional events.
Cambodia’s withdrawal has forced changes in men’s football, with Singapore shifting from Group C to Group A to rebalance the competition.
Siriwat, who is also vice president of the Olympic Committee of Thailand, said organizers are holding a series of meetings to finalize the updated schedule and resolve logistical issues stemming from the relocations.
Cambodia will still compete in 13 sports, including athletics and swimming.
THAISOC is expected to release revised competition dates and venue assignments once assessments of the new host sites are completed.
