The meeting saw approval for Thailand to offer 441 gold medals from 40 sports when it hosts the Games in December next year in Nakhon Ratchasima - the main Games city - and two other provinces, Bangkok and Chon Buri.

However, the meeting failed to agree on the location of the federation's secretarial office, which will be established to take charge of marketing and promotion for the Games.

The country chosen to host the office will be regarded as the headquarters of the SEA Games movement.

Only Thailand and Singapore showed any interest in hosting the office. Singapore came up with an offer to build the office free of charge, while Thailand said the proposal would be taken into consideration at the next meeting in May in Nakhon Ratchasima.

"Thailand is ready to build the secretarial office but it depends on the decision of the other member countries. We plan to construct a 'sports-complex city' where we can locate the office," said Suwat Liptapanlop, the caretaker deputy prime minister who oversees sports.

Suwat added that the meeting's approval of the medal and sports numbers for the 2007 Games would facilitate his plan to stage competitions in three cities.

While most of the disciplines will take place in Nakhon Ratchasima, Bangkok will be the venue for baseball, hockey, lawn bowls, handball, skeet and trap and polo, while Chon Buri will host equestrian, canoeing, rowing, sailing, windsurfing, the triathlon and traditional boat racing.

The meeting announced that after Thailand, Laos, Indonesia and Singapore would host the Games in 2009, 2011 and 2013, respectively.

At the meeting, Vietnam, as hosts for the 2009 Indoor Asian Games, demonstrated a traditional sport called "Vovenum" (Vietnamese Martial Arts), which they would like to include in the event.

Lerpong Amsa-ngiam

The Nation

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