The concerns were raised during a meeting of delegation heads on Monday.
While representatives from Timor-Leste were absent, officials from other nations presented a list of ongoing problems to the Thai organizers, including inconveniences with competition schedules and training locations, as reported by news outlet Khaosod.
During a meeting with Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung in Bangkok on Tuesday, Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) vice president Tran Anh Tu also highlighted the inconvenience that the women’s football team are facing.
Stationed in Chonburi, the team’s route to the training ground was challenging. The facility is 40 km away and the journey takes approximately 90 minutes one way due to narrow roads and heavy congestion.
“A training session lasts about 90 minutes, but including travel time, it’s over four hours,” Tu said. “This makes things difficult for the women’s team. The men’s team have an advantage because they compete and train in Bangkok.”
Vietnam players arrive at Chonburi Stadium before losing 0-1 to the Philippines in SEA Games 33 women’s football, on Dec. 8, 2025. Photo by Read/Duc Dong |
Next is scheduling conflicts. The men’s and women’s 3×3 basketball teams were scheduled to train at the competition venue after 9 p.m. on Tuesday, despite their opening matches taking place the following morning. To guarantee player fitness, the teams opted to cancel the late-night sessions.
Transportation coordination at Suvarnabhumi Airport has also been criticized. One delegation reported a five-to-six-hour wait for pick-up upon arrival. Vietnam faced similar delays, with the women’s volleyball team left stranded for two hours.
Additionally, many teams reported a general shortage of vehicles for daily travel to training venues, wasting time and disrupting preparation schedules.
Food service has also drawn criticism, particularly regarding dietary requirements. Delegations from nations with Muslim populations, including Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Timor-Leste, reported that hotel meals failed to meet Halal standards.
According to Islamic standards, a Halal meal includes food free of pork, alcohol and blood. Livestock and poultry must be slaughtered according to special rituals, such as by a Muslim adult, with prayers recited and handled quickly to avoid causing pain to the animal.
Thana Chaiprasit, vice president and secretary general of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, confirmed that the complaints have been forwarded to the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) for immediate resolution.
Thailand has pledged to assign officials to closely monitor each sport competition to address problems promptly.
The SEA Games 33 officially started with an opening ceremony Tuesday night at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok. The event features 11 delegations with approximately 10,000 athletes competing in 50 sports. The closing ceremony is scheduled for Dec. 20.
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