THE Thai sepak takraw team was reportedly left without confirmed accommodation for nearly 24 hours after arriving in Japan for the 2026 Asian Games.
According to Thailand-based publication The Main Stand, the delegation was scheduled to stay aboard the Costa Serena cruise ship, which is being used as the event’s floating athletes’ village in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.
The team reportedly arrived in Japan on September 16 after departing Thailand shortly after midnight. However, officials at the ship’s check-in counter could not find the squad’s names on the passenger list.
🚨 THAI SEPAK TAKRAW TEAM LEFT WITHOUT ROOMS AT ASIAN GAMES
Thailand’s national sepak takraw team was reportedly forced to sleep on the floor of a cruise ship lobby after arriving in Nagoya for #AsianGames2026, with their accommodation records reportedly missing.
NOT A GOOD… https://t.co/CRZknhTjWf pic.twitter.com/xgkbVlif0r
— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) September 17, 2026
The athletes were eventually allowed to board the vessel at around 10:30 p.m., but were temporarily assigned to rooms intended for delegations that had yet to arrive.
Chalitrat Chantrubeksa, deputy head of Thailand’s Asian Games delegation, attributed the incident to an error involving the event’s accommodation system.
He said the organizer hired for the Games had failed to enter the Thai athletes’ information, leaving their records incomplete.
Asked whether the team would remain on the cruise ship, Chalitrat said: “We are waiting for updates from the organizers to see whether the Thai sepak takraw team will continue to stay on the cruise ship or have to move elsewhere.”
The Thai team is scheduled to begin its campaign on September 20 and will compete in four events: men’s team, men’s singles, women’s team, and women’s four-person team.
Japan opted not to establish a traditional centralized athletes’ village for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Instead, the 114,000-ton Costa Serena, which has 1,500 cabins, is being used to accommodate around 4,000 athletes, coaches, and officials.
Several participating delegations, including teams from Vietnam, are also staying aboard the cruise ship.
The accommodation issue involving Thailand was reported before the official opening of the Asian Games. (Adrian Co)
