History & Origin - SEA Games

The origins of athletic competition lie in the mists of time when tribal members competed in the everyday skills of survival. The fastest and strongest were lauded, for it was they who ensured the tribe’s continued existence, in times of peace and in times of war.

Certainly, Laung Sukhumanaipradit is hardly a household name, yet as a vice
president of the Olympic Committee, he first floated the idea of a smaller sports event comprising the nations of the Southeast Asian peninsula, during the Third Asian Games held in Tokyo in 1958. At a meeting held on 22 May the same year, representatives from Burma (Myanmar), Laos and Malaysia met with their Thai hosts to explore the possibilities.

There was a certain logic to the idea. The countries of the region had many similarities. Modest of population and on a comparable economic footing, they shared common sports participation as well as roughly equal standards of achievement. Such an event would serve as a stepping stone for Southeast Asian athletes to raise their standards so as to be more competitive when they met more advantaged athletes in the larger arenas of the Asian and Olympic Games.

The meeting resulted in the formation of the Southeast Asian Peninsula (SEAP) Games Federation in June 1959, the founder members being Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam - hence the six interlocked rings which formed the Games logo. The first president of the Federation was General Prabhas Charusatiara of Thailand and Luang Mayapradit was elected vice president with Dr Kalya Israsena taking the role of honorary secretary. Other pioneer members of the committee included Ms U Paing of Burma, His Highness Sisowath Essaro of Cambodia, Mr Nakkhla Souvannong of Laos, Mr Thong Poh Nyen of Malaysia and Mr Bguyen Phuoc Vong of Vietnam.

In deference to their efforts in bringing the whole concept to fruition, Thailand was given the honour of hosting the inaugural SEAP Games in 1959. Formally declared open by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand in Bangkok’s National Stadium, some 800 athletes and officials took part in 12 sporting disciplines: Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Cycling, Football, Tennis, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Volleyball and Weightlifting. The atmosphere of friendly competition added to the whole experience and the SEAP Games were definitely ‘off and running’.