Thailand Aims For Medals at SEA Games

Thailand aims to top the medals table at the 25th Southeast Asian Games starting in Laos this week with organizers hoping the event is free from bitter accusations of unfair judging that blighted the last edition.

The 10-day biennial showpiece officially opens Wednesday in the capital Vientiane, with attention also focused on medal hopefuls ahead of next year's Asian Games in China.

Two years ago, then-hosts Thailand dominated the medals standings with 183 gold out of a total of 477 - well ahead of second-placed Malaysia on 68 and Vietnam on 64. Thailand won their eighth consecutive football title and came out on top in athletics, felling many SEA Games records, while Singapore were kings of the pool and Indonesia swept the badminton gold medals.

As well as headline events such as the under-23 football, athletics, swimming and badminton, the event will include a range of lesser-known sports, including the martial arts karatedo and Muay Thai.

The football competition has already started and Thailand began their defence of their title with a disappointing 1-1 draw with Vietnam but followed up with a thumping 4-0 defeat of Cambodia.

Officials will be eager to keep the spotlight on performances after the 2007 edition in Korat, northeastern Thailand, was marred by accusations of unfair judging.

The most dramatic episode came in the boxing ring, when six Philippine fighters retired in a protest over the judging, which helped Thailand sweep all ten boxing gold in the men's competition. There were also accusations of favoritism in badminton, gymnastics and weightlifting.