Anutin admits SEA Games budget woes predate his term
Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul admitted he was aware of the financial challenges surrounding the 33rd SEA Games even before assuming his current role.
Addressing reporters’ concerns about the budget, Anutin clarified that the issue was longstanding.
“I knew there was an issue, so I asked [Captain Thamanat Prompow] to work at full speed; everyone’s heads are spinning.”
Anutin said Capt. Thamanat has taken the lead in resolving various problems, particularly after Hat Yai, previously selected as a host city, was ruled out due to flooding. The cancellation forced officials to scramble for alternative venues and accommodations for athletes.
Anutin also redirected inquiries regarding event management to Tourism and Sports Minister Atthakorn Sirilatthayakorn and the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT).
When asked whether ministers should be assessed based on their handling of the situation, he responded:
“By the time we measure them, they’ll be gone already,” referencing his plans to dissolve the House in January.
SAT Governor Gongsak Yodmanee also weighed in during the News Worker programme, addressing various complaints, including faulty sound systems during the December 3 men’s football match between Vietnam and Laos, and poor lighting at the venue. He noted the opening ceremony’s management was outsourced.
Gongsak blamed repeated changes in government for disrupting preparations.
He acknowledged the budget constraints, stating that Thailand’s allocation was just over two billion baht, compared to Cambodia’s three billion baht spent on the 32nd SEA Games.
The situation became more difficult after the main venue had to be shifted from Songkhla to Bangkok and Chon Buri, costing an additional 160 million baht.
He added that tapping into central government funds wasn’t possible, as they were needed for flood relief efforts. Therefore, changes are needed for the opening ceremony.
“The opening ceremony might not be as grand, but it will be elegant and dignified.”
This update follows a controversy regarding the opening and closing ceremony for the SEA Games, where a Thai designer accused the government of cancelling his designs for the ceremonies just one month before the event, despite him and his team working on the project for more than seven months.
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