SINGAPORE: Some events at the upcoming 33rd SEA Games will be shifted to Bangkok after days of severe flooding in the southern Thai province of Songkhla.
The Games organising committee on Thursday (Nov 27) approved the venue changes due to the floods, which caused "damage and impacted readiness". Songkhla had been set to host the Dec 9 to Dec 20 biennial multi-sport event, along with Bangkok and Chonburi.
The competition venues for 10 sports that were originally scheduled to take place in Hat Yai and Mueang Songkhla districts, will now be held in Bangkok.
They are: Muay (boxing), the men's football qualification rounds, chess, kabaddi, wushu, pencak silat, judo, petanque, karate, billiards and snooker. Wrestling will also be moved to Chonburi.
"The committee emphasised that these adjustments were made to ensure safety for athletes, officials, and spectators, and to safeguard the international standards of the Games," a statement read on Facebook.
"The organising committee reaffirmed that despite the venue changes, Thailand remains fully committed to delivering an efficient, well-managed, and world-class 33rd SEA Games, reinforcing the confidence of all participating nations."
A government spokesperson said that flood-related deaths in Songkhla surged from six to 55 on Thursday, bringing the overall death toll across seven provinces to at least 82 people.
Devastating flooding has overwhelmed southern Thailand this week, particularly in Hat Yai, near the border with Malaysia, where large areas were submerged, pushing residents to seek shelter on rooftops.
Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) president Grace Fu said that the country's Olympic Council backed Thailand's decision to relocate the Songkhla events.
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