More SEA Games athletes complain of limited meals, Vietnam among them

Athletes and coaches from Vietnam's clay shooting team said they had been served meals featuring chicken as the only meat option for five consecutive days after arriving near their competition venue outside Bangkok. 

The team is housed at a hotel close to the shooting range, more than two hours' drive from the capital.

Under SEA Games regulations, foreign delegations pay US$50 per person per day for accommodation and meals provided by the host. 

Vietnamese officials said meal portions and variety at some venues have fallen short of athletes' nutritional needs.

The issue is not limited to shooting. 

Officials from Vietnam's football and futsal teams have also reported insufficient meals, prompting the Vietnam Football Federation to purchase additional food and arrange outside catering to supplement official provisions.

Hoang Quoc Vinh, deputy head of Vietnam's 2025 SEA Games delegation, said multiple teams had reported similar concerns. 

He said Vietnam raised the issue with Thai organizers at a heads-of-delegation meeting on Thursday, noting that several other countries had also complained about limited food options at athlete hotels.

Vietnamese authorities have instructed teams to source additional food locally if needed, with state sports agencies and the Vietnam Olympic Committee agreeing to cover the extra costs, Vinh said.

Thai organizers have faced several logistical issues since the Games opened, including errors involving national flags.

The SEA Games run from December 9 to December 20 and feature athletes from 11 countries. 

Vietnam has sent 1,165 delegation members and is targeting between 80 and 100 gold medals.

As of Saturday morning, Vietnam was second in the medal standings with 26 golds, 18 silvers and 43 bronzes.

Host Thailand leads the medal table with 68 golds, 43 silvers and 28 bronzes.