BANGKOK: A ceremony boasting not just a visual spectacle and star power, but also proclaiming a message of regional unity marked the opening of the 33rd SEA Games on Tuesday (Dec 9).

At Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia appeared largely forgotten as the latest edition of the region's biggest sporting event officially began.

This is the seventh time Thailand is hosting the Games, and the first since 2007. It was first held in Bangkok in 1959, when it was known as the South East Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games.

The Games will be held from Dec 9 to Dec 20, with some sports such as football, baseball and badminton already underway.

"WE ARE ONE"

Hours before the ceremony, long lines formed at concession stands and crowds, mostly clad in black, str

See Full Page