Thailand’s national sepak takraw players were left without rooms for hours after arriving in Japan for the 2026 Asian Games, with some athletes sleeping on the floor of a cruise ship lobby while officials tried to fix missing accommodation records.
The Thai sepak takraw team travelled from Suvarnabhumi International Airport late on September 15 and reached Nagoya the following morning, where they were due to stay aboard the Costa Serena at Nagoya Port.
However, when the team attempted to check in, staff could not find their names in the accommodation system.
By about 10.30pm on September 16, the athletes and coaching staff were still waiting with their luggage in the ship’s lobby. Photos shared by Thai athletes showed several team members lying on the floor after the journey.
Chalitrat Chandrubeksa, deputy secretary-general of the Olympic Committee of Thailand and deputy chief of the Thai delegation, said the problem stemmed from a contractor working for the Japanese organisers failing to submit the sepak takraw team’s documents into the accommodation system.
Thai officials initially arranged for the athletes to use rooms assigned to other Thai competitors who had not yet arrived while the problem was being resolved.
The disruption also affected meals. Thai player Sittipong Khamchan said the team had travelled from Thailand without yet being able to settle into its accommodation and resorted to eating instant noodles while waiting.
The issue was later resolved after Thai chef de mission Admiral Apiwat Sriwattana met the Games organisers. By yesterday, September 17, the sepak takraw squad had been allocated its intended rooms and was able to begin warming up aboard the ship.
Similarly, Indian rowers reportedly had to wait more than 14 hours for rooms, while some shooters were moved to alternative accommodation.
Asian Games organisers had already faced scrutiny over accommodation before the Thai team arrived. The Aichi-Nagoya Games do not have a traditional purpose-built athletes’ village, with competitors instead housed across hotels, temporary accommodation and the Costa Serena.
The 290-metre cruise ship has about 1,500 cabins and is expected to accommodate up to 4,000 athletes and officials at any one time. It docked at Nagoya Port on September 15, with athletes beginning to board the following day.
Organisers previously said accommodation had been secured for more than 17,000 athletes and officials despite registrations exceeding the original estimate of 15,000.
Thailand is targeting four gold medals in sepak takraw at the Games, competing in the men’s team, men’s regu, women’s team and women’s quadrant events.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games officially begins tomorrow, September 19, and runs until October 4.
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