25th SEA Games in 2009

Laos will have to work hard to host the 25th SEA Games in 2009 because the country only has five years to prepare international facilities, said National Sports Committee President, Dr Phouthong Seng-akhom recently.
The meeting of the SEA Games Council Members held in December 2003 in Hanoi, Vietnam nominated Laos to host the SEA Games in 2009 because the honour had never come here before.
Dr Phouthong Seng-akhom told the Government Meeting last month that plans were needed to ensure that the games would be a success. The Government accepted and has given the NSC responsibility for planning and preparation including fields for competition, athletes villages and other services during the Games. The Government will then review the plan to decide the budget for the SEA Games.
"We will upgrade some fields for competition in Vientiane so that they are international standard. We are lucky in Vientiane because we have many indoor stadiums that can be used for the indoor sports events," Dr Phouthong Seng-akhom explained.
The National Stadium could be used for the opening and closing ceremonies and the football finals but it seats only 5,000 spectators. "Laos is planning to build a new 20,000-seat stadium in Vientiane for use in the opening and closing ceremonies," said Dr Phouthong.
He said that the new national stadium is the most ambitious and important project in the preparations. It will contain 20,000 seats or more and provide roofing cover on the west and east stands. It will be a multi-function stadium for football and athletics competitions. The construction should be designed and completed to international and regional standards.
The NSC is also planning to organise some sports events in Vientiane and Savannakhet provinces. The traditional boat racing, canoeing and other events will be held in Vientiane province, said the NSC president. "The first round of the football competition will be held in Savannakhet because their new 15,000-seat stadium is nearly complete," he said.
"We are a small country but we want to make the games exciting and hold many sports events. We have decided to organise 25 sports events for the SEA Games in 2009 including Lao traditional sports such as archery, top spinning and boat racing," he added.
The new national stadium will be constructed at Km 16 in Xaythany district on Road 13 South and construction will begin next year. The swimming pools, golf and tennis courts of world standard will be built near the Lao International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre (ITECC).
Another big football stadium to use for the SEA Games in 2009 is the new 15,000 seat stadium in Savannakhet province. It is currently under construction and will be finished next year in time for the National Games.
The aim of the SEA Games is to promote friendship, solidarity and understanding between countries in the region. It is also held to promote good sports records, techniques and tactics, and create the conditions for athletes to compete at the highest level in order to get better results at the Asian and Olympic Games.
Before 1975, the SEA Games was named the SEAP Games (South East Asian Peninsula Games). The first SEAP Games was organised in 1959 in Bangkok, Thailand and attended by only six countries including Laos. Singapore became the 7th member after it separated from Malaysia to be an independent nation in 1965 and then Indonesia and the Philippines joined the Games in 1977.
In 1997, Brunei was recognised as an official member, raising the total of official members to 10 countries and last year's SEA Games in Vietnam saw an increase to 11 countries when East Timor joined.
The Philippines will host the 23rd SEA Games in 2005. They will then be hosted by Thailand in 2007 before Laos takes its turn in 2009.