300 million baht budget for SEA Games pool triggers public debate
Public scrutiny is mounting over the 300-million-baht budget allocated for the swimming pool renovation ahead of the SEA Games 2025, after official procurement documents revealed the high prices of equipment installed at the venue.
The Facebook page Young Shark Thailand (ฉลามหนุ่มไทยแลนด์) shared several posts breaking down the renovation costs of the SEA Games swimming pool and urged the public to consider whether the spending was reasonable.
The page insisted all figures were taken directly from the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT)’s official procurement documents.
The main competition pool for the SEA Games is located inside the Huamark Aquatic Centre, and the government approved a full renovation to meet international standards. The total approved budget was 300 million baht.
According to the page, part of the spending includes 3,118 grandstand seats in green, red, and yellow, costing around 4.8 million baht in total. Each seat reportedly cost 1,550 baht, including installation.
The stadium’s new LED scoreboard cost 2.5 million baht. SAT also purchased a sending card, a device to convert video signals for the LED screen, priced at 250,000 baht.
Swimming starting blocks were listed among the more eye-catching numbers. Eight blocks for the warm-up pool cost 1.9 million baht, while 20 starting blocks for the main competition pool cost 9 million baht.
Even the signage drew attention, with toilet signs inside the facility reportedly costing more than 140,000 baht including installation.
SAT also selected what the page described as world-class swimming touchpads for accurate timing during races. A total of 22 touchpads cost over 7 million baht.
The most expensive item was the movable pool bulkhead, an adjustable partition used to divide the pool into zones, priced at 18.9 million baht.
Young Shark Thailand reiterated that every figure came directly from SAT’s official announcements and urged followers to use their own judgement on whether the spending was appropriate.
The figures quickly stirred debate among Thai netizens, many of whom questioned whether the 300-million-baht budget would truly be worth the investment. Some expressed hope that, despite the steep prices, the renovation would result in a world-class swimming venue Thailand could be proud of.
The SEA Games preparations faced criticism on more than one front. The opening and closing ceremonies became another source of online drama after a Thai visual and lighting designer accused the government of abruptly cancelling his work without warning.
The designer revealed that he and his team had been working on the ceremony designs for over seven months, only to learn in October that a new team had been brought in to take over the project. He claimed he received no advance notice and has still not heard any clarification from the authorities.
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