By Nick Butler

Vietnam's Phuket 2014 Chef de Mission Quang Thanh Lam believes they must emulate but not completely ©OCAVietnam is seeking to emulate the Phuket's success when it hosts the next edition of the Asian Beach Games in 2016, although it is promising it will have its own unique cultural identity. 


The Games, due to place in the two towns of Danang and Nha Trang, will also have feature a number of different sports, it has been revealed. 

"Basically, the next Asian Beach Games will feature 24 sports, including Vietnam martial arts Vovinam and pencak silat," said Vietnam's Phuket 2014 Chef de Mission, Quang Thanh Lam.

"The other sports will not be different from what have been contested here in the Phuket Games.

"We believe that to host the next Asian Beach Games will help promote tourism of Vietnam,

"Thailand and Phuket in particular did a good job in hosting the 4th Asian Beach Games. Phuket is a beautiful seaside resort town with fantastic tourist attractions."

The Olympic Council of Asia Flag is passed to Le Khanh Hai, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the Closing Ceremony of Phuket 2014 ©Phuket 2014The Olympic Council of Asia Flag is passed to Le Khanh Hai, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the Closing Ceremony of Phuket 2014 ©Phuket 2014



In order to gain insights and help with preparations Vietnam sent more than 10 officials and working teams from different organisational departments in both Danang and Nha Trang to the Thai resort last month for the Games that closed on Sunday (November 23).

They collected important information not only on the sport itself, but also transportation and related aspects of the whole part of the competitions, Quang said.

Vietnam 2016 is due to take place from September 24 in October 3 in 2016, shortly after the end of Rio 2016.

It will mark the third multi-sports Asian-level competition in the nation following the 2003 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and the 2009 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.

Hanoi was also scheduled to host the 2019 Asian Games but withdrew in April, citing "economic pressures".

Indonesia will now host the Asian Games in 2018.

But Vietnamese officials have since pledged their continued commitment to the Olympic Council of Asia to remain host of the Beach Games.

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