At Techo International Airport in the evening of Thursday, December 11, 2025, H.E. Vath Chamroeun, head of the Cambodia sports delegation to participate the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, said that participation and withdrawal from the SEA Games is a strategic plan and a recommendation, and is a clear scenario from Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei the Prime Minister, whom he is always concerned about and constantly follows.
H.E. Vath Chamroeun elaborated as follows: "We have planned in stages, taking precautions like chess pieces, whether what to do something, not just thinking about what to do but preparing specifically, observing the situation step by step, and requesting decisions and receiving recommendations from Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei, and we have also regularly requested
recommendations from H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and asked for experience from H.E. Dr. Senior Minister Thong Khon, President of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia. We have thought in advance that if there is a war, we will have to return. This is a direct recommendation from Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei, a step-by-step plan."
His Excellency the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports also said that, other countries that participated in the SEA Games this year also expressed understanding for the withdrawal of the Cambodia sports team. H.E. Vath Chamroeun also confirmed that, there will be no penalty on the Cambodia sports team which related to the withdrawal from the SEA Games in Thailand, and the news that some international sports organizations will impose penalties is not true, as those organizations have also considered it a fabrication.
It should be noted that, H.E Vath Chamroeun, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Secretary General of the NOCC and Head of the Cambodian Sports Delegation, and two officials have safely returned to their homeland in the afternoon of December 11, and are the last Cambodian sports delegates after 78 delegates, coaches and athletes returned to Cambodia yesterday after Cambodia decided to withdraw from the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand due to safety concerns.
