Govt to pay B124m to SEA Games medal winners

Govt to pay B124m to SEA Games medal winners

The government will have to pay the country's SEA Games medallists more than 120 million baht in financial rewards.

Thailand took home 72 gold, 86 silver and 88 bronze medals at the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur which ended on Wednesday.

Under the government's National Sports Development Fund's bonus scheme for SEA Games athletes, a champion will get 200,000 baht, a silver winner 100,000 baht and a bronze medallist 50,000 baht.

Coaches and associations of the successful athletes will also get separate bonuses.

In total, the National Sports Development Fund has to pay them 124 million baht.

The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) and its athletes and officials will get the biggest sum of 16 million baht.

The FAT saw its athletes win three gold medals in the men's football and men's and women's futsal and a silver in the women's football.

Sepak takraw players and involved parties will get 13 million baht.

HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, who represented Thailand in equestrian, is among the medalists as she and teammates won silver in the team dressage event.

Wushu and triathlon athletes returned home without a single medal.

Normally successful athletes also get bonuses from their own associations and sponsors.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will preside over a welcome party for the Thai contingent at Government House at a date yet to be determined.

At the 29th SEA Games, Malaysia claimed the overall crown with a record 145 gold medals, more than twice the number of second-placed Thailand.

The hosts ended the Games with more than one-third of the 406 gold medals handed out.

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