Thailand once again has been crowned the Southeast Asian Games champion, but this time more with a sense of relief than jubilation. It took a couple of unexpected results on the last day of the games for the Kingdom to narrowly shake off Vietnam's most tenacious challenge to date, at least on a neutral ground. The era of Thailand being the clear cut SEA Games superpower may be approaching its end.
The Thai camp may argue that our nation remains strong in conventional - or universal - sporting events. Vietnam's impressive medal haul included wins in unconventional categories. But at the end of the day, this is the SEA Games, and it is not the first time that the host country has put a lot of medals up for grabs in local sports categories.
Complacency is the most dangerous syndrome in the world of sports, so at least it's nice to hear comments from those who matter that the Thai camp had gone to Vientiane feeling a bit aloof. Normally, Thailand always fares comfortably well when the SEA Games host nation is not a direct medal competitor - namely Indonesia and, to a lesser degree, Malaysia and Vietnam. Laos, being this year's host, had given us perhaps too much confidence.
The national soccer team has come back badly bruised and embarrassed after being knocked out in the group stage for the first time in decades. Those responsible have admitted to "poor preparations", which in sporting terms is not far away from "overconfidence". The shocking upset took much gloss off our medal standing, with many fans claiming they would rather see Thailand finish second in the medal tally than take the pain of us relinquishing our soccer superiority.
Disappointed or not, we should not let anything take away the credit that first-time host Laos deserved. Asean athletes have returned to their respective countries from an atypical SEA Games - one that did not end on a sour note, with charges of cheating marring everything.
This games had its hiccups and occasional complaints against referees, but the Lao people can be proud of themselves for having fostered the most important thing about the games. Asean may be a relatively peaceful regional grouping, but this character often goes out the window every time the games are held. Cheating is always rampant, and sportsmanship has always been undermined in previous games by a lack of trust and over-emphasis on the medal count. Such malaise is so ingrained that it feels strange to see this Vientiane games end without the media in neighbouring countries lambasting the host nation for being a cheat.
It's refreshing to take a break, temporarily or not, from the SEA Games' vicious circle, in which visiting countries are cheated, or feel they have been cheated; then, when it's their turn to host, they exact revenge, or are accused of cheating.
Although Laos' facilities and organising experience are still in the fledgling stage, the country must be praised for putting on a good show. And when the host country concentrates on being a good host, and not too much on raking in medals, it's a very laudable attitude.
So, see you again in Indonesia in 2011. It will be interesting to see the games go back to the same old highly-charged environment after this rare break in Vientiane. Thailand will look to reassert its superiority, while Indonesia will say "Over my dead body". Vietnam will take to Jakarta the confidence that was gained from being so close to dethroning Thailand this year. How all the neighbouring nations can achieve their goals in Indonesia without the ghosts from the past revisiting will be the greatest challenge of all. The curtain has been drawn in Laos, but is it too optimistic to say "Let the real game begin"?
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