Cambodia to spend over 40 mln USD for hosting 2023 SEA Games

Xinhua News Agency | Fri,2016-04-22 (Sports) Cambodia to spend over 40 mln USD for hosting 2023 SEA Games 

PHNOM PENH, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government on Friday approved an action plan towards hosting the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) for the first time in 2023, Prime Minister Hun Sen said.

The approval was made during a weekly cabinet meeting, he said.

"The Royal Government of Cambodia has reserved more than 40 million U.S. dollars for organizing the SEA Games in 2023," the premier wrote on his official Facebook page.

He added that the reserved budget is not included the cost for the forthcoming construction of a main stadium on the outskirts of Phnom Penh capital, which will be funded by the Chinese government. 

According to a government statement, the 32nd SEA Games will be held in Cambodia from Dec. 1 to 15, 2023 and is expected to attract 10,000 participants, including 7,000 athletes.

The original SEA Games began as the Peninsular Southeast Asia Games in 1959. It is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the ten ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste.

The last games were held in Singapore in 2015, and the next host for the 2017 SEA Games will be Malaysia. Enditem