The Vietnamese Paralympic delegation consisted of 30 members, led by Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Le Thi Hoang Yen. Also present at the ceremony was Mr. Huynh Vinh Ai – President of the Vietnam Paralympic Committee.
The flag raising ceremony was attended by delegates, officials, coaches, and athletes representing many countries in the region. Previously, Cambodia announced the withdrawal of its entire team from the 13th ASEAN Para Games and sent an official letter to the ASEAN Paralympic Federation (APSF) and the Organizing Committee.
The flag-raising ceremony is a welcoming ritual for the delegations of athletes from ASEAN countries, held before the official competition day. It aims to honor the spirit of unity and determination to compete for prestigious medals, and also serves as an opportunity for the sports delegations to demonstrate their commitment to achieving high results at the Games.
At the flag-raising ceremony, representatives of the ASEAN Para Games 13 Organizing Committee extended a warm welcome to all participating delegations and expressed hope that all athletes, coaches, and delegation officials would feel the friendliness, comfort, and hospitality from the moment they set foot in Thailand until they return home, and would cherish fond memories of the land and people of Nakhon Ratchasiama. With the slogan "Create Pride Together," the ASEAN Para Games 13 Organizing Committee also hopes that this sporting event will be a place where athletes can share love and happiness, create pride together, and spread this pride to everyone.
On behalf of the Vietnamese Paralympic team, Team Leader Le Thi Hoang Yen respectfully presented the Organizing Committee with a gift: a handcrafted and hand-painted ceramic teapot from the famous Bat Trang pottery village. The Organizing Committee also presented the Vietnamese Paralympic team with souvenirs of traditional handicrafts.
Immediately following the flag-raising ceremony was a cultural performance welcoming the delegations to the 13th ASEAN Para Games. Featuring the image of cat owners – symbols of Nakhon Ratchsima – this performance, deeply rooted in local culture, served as a welcome to the Para athletes participating in the 13th ASEAN Para Games.
Nakhon Ratchsima is one of the largest and most important provinces of the Kingdom of Thailand, located in the Northeast, approximately 300 km northeast of Bangkok. The provincial capital is known as Korat. Over the years, Nakhon Ratchasima has received significant investment from the Thai government in modern sports infrastructure, most notably the 80th Birthday Stadium – the venue for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 24th SEA Games (December 6–15, 2007). It also hosted the 4th ASEAN Para Games (January 20–26, 2008).
Below are images from the Flag Raising Ceremony:
Ha Phuong