SEA GAMES: Cambodia pulls team out of SEA Games in Thailand over border conflict

Cambodia withdrew its team from the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand on Wednesday, citing safety concerns amid ongoing border clashes between the two countries.

In a letter to the Games' organizers, the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) said the decision was prompted by “serious concerns” and requests from athletes’ families to allow them to return home. The letter, dated December 10, was released a day after the Cambodian delegation participated in the opening ceremony in Bangkok.

Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia began on Monday, marking the second major flare-up this year and undermining a fragile truce brokered in July by U.S. President Donald Trump. The clashes have involved heavy artillery exchanges and air strikes by Thai fighter jets, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. Officials reported at least 14 deaths and 88 injuries so far.

“NOCC must withdraw all of our delegation and arrange for their prompt return to Cambodia for safety reasons,” the committee stated. “The decision was not made lightly.”

Cambodia had finished fourth in the medal standings when it hosted the Games in 2023. This year’s edition is being held across Bangkok, Chonburi, and Songkhla. -Martin Petty/Reuters