Due to the severe flooding in southern Thailand—particularly in Songkhla, one of the three host provinces of the 33rd SEA Games scheduled for 9–20 December 2025—it has now been confirmed that all events originally planned to be held in Songkhla will be proposed for relocation to Bangkok.
Chalitrat Chantarubeksa, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, revealed that he received confirmation from Colonel Chaipak Siriwat, Vice President of the Olympic Committee and Executive Chairman of the SEA Games Council, that the SEA Games Council, together with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, has reached a firm resolution to move all sports competitions from Songkhla to Bangkok.
This relocation covers 10 sports, with a total of 109 gold medals, including:
Boxing, Pencak Silat, Men's Football, Chess, Judo, Kabaddi, Karate, Wrestling, Pétanque, and Wushu.
In addition, representatives from various countries at the SEA Games Council meeting expressed serious concerns regarding several issues: uncertainty over whether the floodwaters will recede in time for competition, the possibility of severe field damage requiring extensive repairs, and health risks related to floodwater and mosquitoes, which could impact athletes' safety.
These concerns led the meeting to unanimously agree that relocating all events would be the safest option. The next step will be to submit the proposal for official approval on 27–28 November.
Beyond the venue relocation, a major challenge remains: expenses already paid by participating nations for arrangements in Songkhla, including airfare, hotel bookings, and local transportation.