The Southeast Asian Games owes its origins to the Southeast Asian
Peninsular Games or SEAP Games. On May 22, 1958, delegates from the
countries in Southeast Asian peninsula attending the 3rd Asian Games in
Tokyo, Japan had a meeting and agreed to establish a sport organization.
The SEAP Games as conceptualized by Laung Sukhumnaipradit, then
Vice-President of the Thailand Olympic Committee. The proposed rationale
was that a regional sports event will help promote cooperation,
understanding and relations among countries in the Southeast Asian
region.
Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, South Vietnam and Cambodia
(with Singapore included thereafter) were the founding members. These
countries agreed to hold the Games biannually. The SEAP Games Federation
Committee was formed.
The first SEAP Games were held in Bangkok from 12-17 December,
1959 comprising more than 527 athletes and officials from Thailand,
Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, South Vietnam and Laos participating in 12
sports.
At the 8th SEAP Games in 1975, the SEAP Federation considered
the inclusion of Indonesia and the Philippines. The two countries were
formally admitted in 1977, the same year when SEAP Federation changed
their name to Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF), and the games
were known as the Southeast Asian Games. Brunei was admitted at the 10th
SEA Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, and East Timor at the 22nd SEA Games
in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The 23rd SEA Games held in the Philippines, which started from
27 November and ended on 5 December 2005, hosting the biennial event for
the third time.
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