The 25th SEA Games Marketing and Benefit Committee (SEAGMBC) has announced ticket prices and distribution for the event to be held in Vientiane this December.
SEAGMBC Vice President, Mr Chanpheng Siratana said the ticket prices had been agreed upon by all the committees involved in organising the games.
“We met and discussed the ticket prices many times and have come up with what we believe are reasonable prices for both local and foreign people,” Mr Chanpheng said.
Tickets for both the opening and closing ceremonies of the games will be divided into four different categories, costing 500,000 kip, 400,000kip, 300,000 kip and 200,000 kip.
Ticket prices for sporting events will depend on the event, but will cost between 20,000 and 100,000 kip. Some events will be open to the public free of charge.
“Seven sports will be free for spectators - cycling, golf, snooker, athletics, petanque, weightlifting and archery,” he said.
The committee reported that currently tickets are only available for purchase in Laos .
“We are not sure if we will sell ticket online because the matter is still under discussion with other committees. We hope to make tickets available to sporting fans in other countries soon,” said Mr Chanpheng.
There have been public complaints that tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies of the games are too expensive. Many believe the high prices are unaffordable for Lao people.
Mr Chanpheng said the opening and closing ceremonies would be broadcast through Lao National Television but urged people to attend the events.
“The ceremonies will be fantastic and I really want Lao people to attend and experience the atmosphere at their home games.”
“We also plan to invite representatives of government offices to participate in the ceremonies,” he said.
“We are not yet sure how many tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies will be made available to the public, because we are unsure how many VIP guests will be attending.”
“We have taken steps to ensure that counterfeit tickets will not be an issue,” Mr Chanpheng said.
Tickets for the games are already designed and awaiting approval from various SEA Games committees before they are printed and ready for sale.
The 25th SEA Games will take place from December 9 to 18. Athletes will contest 390 events in the 25 sports of athletics, swimming, archery, badminton, snooker and billiards, muay, cycling, football, golf, judo, karatedo, sepak takraw, shooting, tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, pencak silat, petanque, fin swimming, diving and shuttlecock.
Athletes from Laos , Vietnam , Cambodia , Brunei , Thailand , Malaysia , Indonesia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore and Timor Leste will take part.
By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientiane
