The Television Pool of Thailand (TV Pool) is expected to ask Cambodian sports authorities about providing live coverage of more sporting events at the 32nd SEA Games, after the host country announced that only 16 out of 36 events would be broadcast live.
Cambodia will do most of the live broadcasts, but TV Pool, which has broadcasting rights granted by the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, will have to negotiate with the host country, so that viewers in Thailand can watch more events live, said Thana Chaiprasit, head of the Thai delegation to this year’s biennial event.
According to the Cambodia 2023 Facebook page, the host nation will broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies and 16 sporting events. They are as follows:
- Athletics (track and field)
- Aquatics (swimming and diving)
- Football
- Petanque
- Volleyball
- Kun Khmer
- Badminton
- Sepak Takraw and Chinlone
- Karate
- Taekwondo
- Boxing
- Basketball
- Pencak Silat
- Hockey
- Table Tennis
- E-sports
Thailand and Cambodia are currently locked in a dispute over the hosts’ decision to call the kickboxing event Kun Khmer instead of Muay Thai. Thailand has said it will boycott the Kun Khmer events.
The SEA Games Federation Office will call a meeting with representatives of the 10 Asean member states, including Cambodia, as some events have yet to be finalised. The meeting, set to take place in Thailand, is aimed at resolving all Games-related issues by this month, so that athletes can start preparing themselves, Mr Thana said.
The 32nd SEA Games will take place from May 5 to 17 in Cambodia.
