| The Southeast Asian Games will be in its 25th edition | | | | 16. Pencak Silat |
| comes year 2009 when it's held in Vientiane, Laos. It | | | | 17. Pétanque |
| will also be SEA Games 50th year since its inception. | | | | 18. Shooting |
| The biennial multi-sport event was formed back in 1959 | | | | 19. Shuttlecock kicking |
| and was previously called Southeast Asian Peninsular | | | | 20. Table tennis |
| Games or SEAP Games. Laos holds the honor of | | | | 21. Taekwondo |
| being host country for the first time in its history for the | | | | 22. Traditional boat race |
| year 2009. | | | | 23. Volleyball |
| The history behind the games was that when the | | | | 24. Wrestling |
| Southeast Asian nation's delegates attended the 1958 | | | | 25. Wushu |
| Asian Games in Tokyo, during a joint meeting they all | | | | The news that Laos has dropped a considerable |
| agreed to have a sports organization within the | | | | number of sports and run the risk of not being able to |
| Southeast Asian region that will promote closer | | | | hold the event due to financial constraints, it has led to |
| bilateral ties. | | | | other SEA Games countries and even help outside of |
| The founding seven members were Thailand, | | | | the region in aid. Vietnam has agreed to help out in the |
| Philippines, Malaya (now Malaysia), Laos, South | | | | staging and organization of sports and footing the bill |
| Vietnam (now Vietnam), Burma (now Myanmar), and | | | | on a new $19 million Games Village. Thailand has |
| Cambodia. The Southeast Asian Games Federation | | | | offered exchange lesson for Laos's officials for more |
| numbers grew over time and Indonesia, Brunei | | | | pointers in SEA Games preparation, which is worth |
| Darussalam and Timor-Leste joined the ranks. | | | | some $2.9 million. |
| For the 25th Southeast Asian Games, the capital city | | | | Singapore are to provide teachers and technicians, and |
| Vientiane will be main games area. Due to decades of | | | | organization such as the Yuuwakai Association of |
| war and lacking in resources and finances, this | | | | Japan has agreed to donate US$100,000 for the new |
| impoverished communist country has reduced the | | | | Karatedo training center in Laos, while China has |
| number of sports to be contested at the SEA Games. | | | | agreed to chalk up the main cost for the new Laos |
| It dwindled the figure to a proposed 25 games. This is | | | | National Stadium. It is estimated a total US$85 million |
| far lesser than the 43 sports being contested at the | | | | worth of aid has been handed by various nations. |
| last SEA Games in Thailand, 2007. The 25 disciplines | | | | With the outpouring of international help, it is reported |
| that will be in competition are: | | | | that the progress of Laos preparation for the SEA |
| 1. Archery | | | | Games have been encouraging. The aid sped-up the |
| 2. Aquatics | | | | logistics preparations and facilities are now up to 60 |
| 3. Athletics | | | | per cent from completion. However if Laos does fail to |
| 4. Badminton | | | | meet the qualifications to hold the event in time, the |
| 5. Basketball | | | | games would be moved to Singapore as an |
| 6. Billiards and Snooker | | | | alternative hosting backup option. |
| 7. Bodybuilding | | | | The games in Laos are slated to open on December |
| 8. Boxing | | | | 13th, 2009 and the closing ceremony is scheduled for |
| 9. Bowling | | | | 21st December. The opening, closing and major games |
| 10. Football | | | | will be held at the new Laos National Stadium. |
| 11. Golf | | | | Laos has employed the use of their national animal, the |
| 12. Handball | | | | white elephants as the Official Mascots. Named Mr. |
| 13. Judo | | | | Champee and Ms. Champa, these two Lao Elephants |
| 14. Karatedo | | | | will represent the national flower of Laos. |
| 15. Muay Thai | | | | |