Searching for good surprises by which to remember the SEA Games 2025

Surprises—good or bad—were inevitable at the opening ceremony of the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Thais fervently hoped for the former, not the latter. The nation hosted this much-anticipated regional event for the first time in 18 years, and the public was rooting for it to be one of the year’s best moments, a desperately needed positive in a time filled with bad news.

But did the ceremony deliver the spectacle people hoped for?

A quick check of social media feeds offers a clear idea. Normally, an event of this magnitude would flood feeds with highlight clips and dazzling photos, similar to coverage of other major sporting events.

The opening at Bangkok’s Rajamangala National Stadium, however, failed to create that magic.

The immediate feedback focused on accidents: sound systems causing off-key music on the broadcast (though attendees claimed the stadium sound was fine), lighting issues, and blunders like a drone-displayed medal count showing 547 instead of the correct 574—and those were just a few examples!

Frustrated people immediately turned to social media. Like many others, they strongly supported the event but believed Thailand could have executed it better.

Some inevitably compared it unfavorably to our hosting of the Asian Games over a decade ago.

Prior to the opening, preparations already faced criticism regarding poor publicity and substandard promotional materials. Many blamed the recent government transition as a major factor, while others pointed to widespread distractions, including heightened Thai-Cambodian border tensions and the devastating flood crisis in the South.

No wonder most surprises turned out to be negative. Still, the few positive moments truly stood out. Let’s walk down our “short-memory lane” to find the delightful highlights.

Queen Suthida offered a genuine, unexpected moment when she surprisingly marched with the Thai athletes. Everyone saw her accompany His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn to preside over the opening, but no one anticipated her joining the parade.

She moved naturally, displaying her famous friendly smile and waving flags in both hands like her fellow athletes.

The Queen joined the parade as she will represent the Thai team in sailing at the 33rd SEA Games, scheduled for December 15–18 in Pattaya, Chonburi Province. Her presence on the ground also impressed athletes from other nations, not just the Thai public.

The Queen was a highlight, and so were Thailand’s beauty queens.

The choice of having Thai beauty queens carry the placards for each country was a smart move, clearly reflecting Thailand’s success in various international pageants.

This selection also powerfully promoted the nation’s rich culture through their beautiful traditional Thai dresses, especially significant while the country mourns the passing of Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother, who championed these world-famous traditional Thai garments.

Organizer Index Creative Village aimed to portray the culture of “the region’s rich diversity… woven together as one.”

Perhaps our shared love of beauty queens and rich culture proved a common thread. A headline from Philippine media provides the proof:

"Miss Universe 2023 1st runner-up Anntonia Porsild connected even more with her Filipino fans after joining the Philippines contingent of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games.”

This level of appreciation and connection was clearly felt. The media also mentioned Miss World Suchata “Opal” Chuangsri, the pageant's first Thai and second Southeast Asian winner, who carried Thailand's own placard. Opal, stunning in an exquisite Thai costume, received a loud cheer.

The Miss World official Facebook page also captured this moment of the home country's parade.

Although some criticized the ceremony for looking rather dark and relatively "empty"—lacking the “mass of performers” typical of such openings—one show provided a delightful surprise (though the performer was publicly known beforehand).

Thai-born K-pop sensation BamBam took center stage, using his skill and experience to perform efficiently and professionally. As expected, his show earned loud applause and cheers from fans.

This was another non-athlete moment that connected the region, proving our shared passion for K-pop stars and music.

Turning to the sporting side, the segment representing the history of the Games received praise for good storytelling and effective techniques.

This should be a moment of regional pride: despite economic uncertainty and various challenges, we successfully staged this small-yet-meaningful sporting event for the 33rd time!

The greatest sport-related surprise must go to the watersports section. Although it was not a grand performance like those in bigger tournaments, the moment synchronized swimming athletes suddenly jumped into a pool was a pleasant, unexpected twist.

Neither people in the stadium nor the live broadcast audience anticipated it. It was a pity the broadcast angle failed to maximize this wonderful idea, but it was a great attempt.

The subsequent jet-ski show was exciting, particularly its roller-coaster action. The inclusion of jet skis (which recently participated in rescue efforts in the South of Thailand) also accidentally provided an excellent touch.

Amid the exciting moments and numerous show hiccups, two hosts offered a breath of fresh air. Kornkan “Arm” Sutthikoses and Natchanan “Noon” Liangarunwong received high praise on social media.

“The two shouldered the whole show and did their best to avoid dead air,” one Facebook comment noted. At least, the Thai public must thank the organizer for assigning the right emcees. The two demonstrated strong language skills in both Thai and English, proving the host country's capability in at least the area of hosting a major event.

If you have read this far, you might wonder why so few pleasant surprises emerged. You also might question why highlights from the SEA Games opening failed to dominate social media feeds as they should have.

A not-so-wild guess points to another massive surprise—definitely not a positive one—that not all people could watch the event at home.

The biggest surprise of all? That in an era of instant connectivity, many Thais were left staring at blank screens due to broadcast disputes, failing the country's "must-carry" regulation.

It leaves us wondering: If more of the nation had been able to watch, would the small, delightful surprises have outweighed the glitches?

For now, we are left with a ceremony that, much like the drones at the stadium, missed its mark by just a few numbers.