THAILAND'S SPORTING KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ, ON SATURDAY (DEC.9), DECLARED OPEN THE FOURTH SOUTH-EAST ASIAN PENINSULAR GAMES IN A MEMORABLE CEREMONY FULL OF COLOUR AND TRADITION.

THE MORE THAN 1,000 MEN AND WOMEN ATHLETES AND OFFICIALS FROM BURMA, LAOS, ,MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, THAILAND AND SOUTH VIETNAM MARCHED BEFORE THE KING, BEHIND THEIR NATIONAL FLAGS, WEARING THE COLOURS OF THEIR COUNTRIES.

AS THE KING DECLARED THE GAMES OPEN IN A 44-WORD MESSAGE, HE RELEASED 2,510 PIGEONS (ONE FOR EACH YEAR OF THE BUDDHIST CALENDAR) AND A MASS OF BALLOONS AND FIREWORKS BURSTS INTO THE SKIES.

THAILAND'S 1959 SPRINT CHAMPION SUDHI MANYAKAS, CARRIED INTO THE STADIUM THE GAMES TORCH WHICH THE KING HAD KINDLED ON FRIDAY USING A LENS AND THE SUN'S RAYS.

THE KING AND HIS 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, PRINCESS UBOLRATANA, ARE REPRESENTING THAILAND IN THE YACHTING EVENT.

FOR THE NEXT EIGHT DAYS, THE ATHLETES WILL BE RUNNING AND JUMPING FOR GOLD MEDALS.