The Southeast Asian Games, also known as the SEA Games, is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games is under regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with supervision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia.
The 1959 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, officially known as the 1st Southeast Asian Peninsular Games was the first and inaugural edition of the biennial multi-sport event for Southeast Asian athletes, organised by the SEAP Games Federation. It was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 12 to 17 December 1959 with 12 sports featured in the games. Cambodia, one of the six founding members of the SEAP Games Federation, did not compete at the inaugural edition. For the first time and first among all Southeast Asian nations, Thailand hosted the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, which later known as the Southeast Asian Games. The games was opened and closed by Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand at the Suphachalasai Stadium. The final medal tally was led by host Thailand, followed by its neighbouring countries, Burma and Malaya.
The 1961 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games officially known as the 2nd Southeast Asian Peninsular Games was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held in Rangoon, Burma from 11 to 16 December 1961 with 13 sports featured in the games. This was the first time all six founding members of the SEAP Games Federation competed in the biennial sports festival and the first time Myanmar, then known as Burma hosted the games. Burma, later known as Myanmar is the second country to host the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, which later known as the Southeast Asian Games after Thailand. The games was opened and closed by Win Maung, the President of Burma at the Bogyoke Aung San Stadium. The final medal tally was led by host Burma, followed by Thailand and Malaya.
The 1965 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games officially known as the 3rd Southeast Asian Peninsular Games was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 14 to 21 December 1965 with 14 sports featured in the games. Originally to be hosted by Laos, the third edition of the games was hosted by Malaysia after the former was not able to honour its hosting commitment citing financial difficulties and would later known to have hosted the 2009 Southeast Asian Games decades later. Two years earlier, the third SEAP Games was cancelled as Cambodia pulled out of hosting the event due to internal strife. This was the first time Malaysia host the games. Malaysia is the third country to host the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, which later known as the Southeast Asian Games after Thailand and Myanmar, then Burma. The games was opened and closed by Ismail Nasiruddin, the King of Malaysia at the Stadium Merdeka. The final medal tally was led by Thailand followed by host Malaysia and Singapore.
The 1967 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, officially known as the 4th Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held in Bangkok, Thailand from 9 to 16 December 1967 with 16 sports featured in the games. Cambodia once again declined to host this edition of the games, as it did in 1963. This was Thailand's second time hosting the Southeast Asian Games, and its first time since the 1959 inaugural games. The games was opened and closed by Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand at the Suphachalasai Stadium. The final medal tally was led by host Thailand, followed by Singapore and Malaysia.
The 1969 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games officially known as the 5th Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held in Rangoon, Burma from 6 to 13 December 1969 with 15 sports featured in the games. Vietnam had reluctantly declined to host this edition because of the Vietnam War. Singapore, the youngest member of the SEAP Games Federation at the time, suggested in this edition of the games to change the name of the sports festival to the Southeast Asia Games. Although it was not officially stated, the inclusion of the Philippines and Indonesia in the expanded federation was to greatly help alleviate the hosting problems, as well as to set higher and more competitive standards in the games. After hosting the 5th edition, Burma declined hosting succeeding games due to lack of financial capability. This was Burma's second time to host the games and its first time since 1961. The games was opened and closed by Ne Win, the President of Burma at the Bogyoke Aung San Stadium. The final medal tally was led by host Burma, followed by Thailand and Singapore.
The 1971 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, officially known as the 6th Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 6 to 13 December 1971 with 15 sports featured in the games. In this edition of the games, host country Malaysia joined Singapore in pressuring Thailand to let the SEAP Games Federation expand to include the Philippines and Indonesia, but to no avail. Thai officials felt that such expansion would be contrary to the small family affair they had intended the games to be, and would not be in keeping with the close-neighbours spirit the games was supposed to cultivate. This was the second time Malaysia hosted the games and its first time since 1965. The games was opened and closed by Abdul Halim, the King of Malaysia at the Stadium Merdeka. The final medal tally was led by Thailand, followed by host Malaysia and Singapore.
The 1995 Southeast Asian Games, officially known as the 18th Southeast Asian Games, was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held in Chiang Mai, Thailand from 9 to 17 December 1995. It was the first time that a non-capital city hosted the biennial sports event. Chiang Mai is the second Thai city to host the Southeast Asian Games after Bangkok. The games were opened and closed by Vajiralongkorn, the then-Crown Prince of Thailand. With the return of Cambodia, all ten members of the federation were present to compete in the SEA Games for the first time.
Canada has participated in every Commonwealth Games since the first ever British Empire Games held in Hamilton, Ontario in 1930, one of only six countries to have done so. The others are Australia, England, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales.
China competed in the 2006 Asian Games held in Doha, Qatar from December 1, 2006 to December 15, 2006. The team is composed of athletes from mainland China only – each of China's two special administrative regions had its own team. China topped the medal tally with 166 gold medals.
The Philippines participated in the 1978 Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand from December 9 to December 20, 1978. Ranked ninth with four gold medals, four silver medals and six bronze medals with a total of 14 medals.
Japan participated in the 1966 Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand from December 9, 1966 to December 20, 1966. The country was ranked first with 78 gold medals, 53 silver medals and 33 bronze medals with a total of 164 medals to secure the top spot in the medal tally.
Japan participated in the 1982 Asian Games held in New Delhi, India from November 19, 1982, to December 4, 1982. This country was ranked 2nd with 57 gold medals, 52 silver medals and 44 bronze medals with a total of 153 medals to secure its second spot in the medal tally.
Japan participated in the 1998 Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand from December 6, 1998 to December 20, 1998. This country was ranked 3rd with 52 gold medals, 61 silver medals and 68 bronze medals with a total of 181 medals to secure its third spot in the medal tally.
Philippines is a member of the South East Asian Zone of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and has participated in the Asian Games since their inception in 1951. The Philippine Olympic Committee, established in 1911, and recognized in 1929 by the International Olympic Committee, is the National Olympic Committee for Philippines.
India participated in the 1966 Asian Games—The Fifth Asian Games, held in the Bangkok, Thailand from 9 to 20 December 1966. Indian athletes won total 21 medals with 7 golds and ranked fifth in a medal table.
The 1978 Asian Games, was a multi-sport event held in Bangkok, Thailand from 9 December to 20 December 1978. Originally, the host city was to be Singapore, but it dropped its plan to host the Games due to financial problems. Then the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, was subsequently chosen to host the games. However Pakistan also dropped its plan to host the games due to conflicts with Bangladesh and India.
Thailand is scheduled to compete at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia from 19 to 30 August 2017.
Indonesia participated in the 1978 Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand from December 9, 1978 to December 20, 1978. This country was ranked ninth with 8 gold medals, 7 silver medals and 18 bronze medals with a total of 33 medals.
Lebanon participated in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia from 18 August to 2 September 2018. Lebanon first competed at the Asian Games in 1978 Bangkok, and the best achievement was in the 2006 Doha, when the country gained a gold, and 2 silver medals. At the last edition in Incheon, Lebanon collected 2 medals, a silver and a bronze.
