The Southeast Asian Games will be in its 25th edition comes year 2009 when it’s held in Vientiane, Laos. It will also be SEA Games 50th year since its inception. The biennial multi-sport event was formed back in 1959 and was previously called Southeast Asian Peninsular Games or SEAP Games. Laos holds the honor of being host country for the first time in its history for the year 2009.

The history behind the games was that when the Southeast Asian nation’s delegates attended the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, during a joint meeting they all agreed to have a sports organization within the Southeast Asian region that will promote closer bilateral ties.

The founding seven members were Thailand, Philippines, Malaya (now Malaysia), Laos, South Vietnam (now Vietnam), Burma (now Myanmar), and Cambodia. The Southeast Asian Games Federation numbers grew over time and Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam and Timor-Leste joined the ranks.

For the 25th Southeast Asian Games, the capital city Vientiane will be main games area. Due to decades of war and lacking in resources and finances, this impoverished communist country has reduced the number of sports to be contested at the SEA Games. It dwindled the figure to a proposed 25 games. This is far lesser than the 43 sports being contested at the last SEA Games in Thailand, 2007. The 25 disciplines that will be in competition are:

1. Archery

2. Aquatics

3. Athletics

4. Badminton

5. Basketball

6. Billiards and Snooker

7. Bodybuilding

8. Boxing

9. Bowling

10. Football

11. Golf

12. Handball

13. Judo

14. Karatedo

15. Muay Thai

16. Pencak Silat

17. Pétanque

18. Shooting

19. Shuttlecock kicking

20. Table tennis

21. Taekwondo

22. Traditional boat race

23. Volleyball

24. Wrestling

25. Wushu

The news that Laos has dropped a considerable number of sports and run the risk of not being able to hold the event due to financial constraints, it has led to other SEA Games countries and even help outside of the region in aid. Vietnam has agreed to help out in the staging and organization of sports and footing the bill on a new $19 million Games Village. Thailand has offered exchange lesson for Laos’s officials for more pointers in SEA Games preparation, which is worth some $2.9 million.

Singapore are to provide teachers and technicians, and organization such as the Yuuwakai Association of Japan has agreed to donate US$100,000 for the new Karatedo training center in Laos, while China has agreed to chalk up the main cost for the new Laos National Stadium. It is estimated a total US$85 million worth of aid has been handed by various nations.

With the outpouring of international help, it is reported that the progress of Laos preparation for the SEA Games have been encouraging. The aid sped-up the logistics preparations and facilities are now up to 60 per cent from completion. However if Laos does fail to meet the qualifications to hold the event in time, the games would be moved to Singapore as an alternative hosting backup option.

The games in Laos are slated to open on December 13th, 2009 and the closing ceremony is scheduled for 21st December. The opening, closing and major games will be held at the new Laos National Stadium.

Laos has employed the use of their national animal, the white elephants as the Official Mascots. Named Mr. Champee and Ms. Champa, these two Lao Elephants will represent the national flower of Laos.