Huy Hoan, from Dong Da district, Hanoi, said that he bought a tour from a travel firm though it is more expensive than a free tour because the national football squad will play in Nakhon Ratchasima, around 300km from Thailand.

Some tourism companies have introduced SEA Games tours, priced from US$350 to $395 per person, for five days in Thailand and tickets to two matches of the Vietnamese team. Transviet offers a three-day tour, one match ticket at $299 per person.

Saigontourist has designed completely new tours to Thailand to serve football fans. Instead of going to the tourism city of Pattaya, visitors will relax in Bangkok and watch football in Nakhon Ratchasima city, then visit Ayuthaya ancient capital and the floating market of Damnoen Saduak.

Viettravel, Vietran Tour and some others are ready to bring visitors to Pattaya and Coral Island to play water games and watch a unique show of trans-sexual artists named Tiffany and a match of the Vietnamese team.

Vietravel reports that around 50 visitors in HCM City have booked SEA Games tours and the firm plans to bring around 800 tourists to Thailand on this occasion.

Hanoi-based Vietran Tour also plans to bring 30 tourists to Thailand for five days to watch the first matches of the national team against Malaysia and Singapore on December 1 and 3. Seventeen tourists have registered already, paying $349 per person, around $50 higher than normal Thai tours. Tourism firms will arrange tour guides and cheerleaders for these tours. Airways that have Vietnam-Thailand air routes are also busy this moment.

To welcome Vietnamese tourists to Thailand for SEA Games, Thai Tourism Administration has assisted Vietnamese tourism companies to survey Nakhon Ratchasima and allowed them to buy tickets for matches of the Vietnamese football teams at reasonable prices.

The men’s national football team will play at Municipality Stadium in Nahon Ratchasima city for all three matches against Malaysia on December 1, Singapore on December 3 and Laos on December 8.

The women’s football team will play at Municipality Stadium of Tumbon Mueangpung against the Philippines on December 5 and Laos on December 8.

If they enter the semi-finals, they will play in the same stadium on December 10 and 11, respectively.