It is estimated to cost Vietnam over VND20 billion (US$930,200) for its delegation of 640 members, including around 420 athletes, to take part in the 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to be held from June 5 to 16 in Singapore.

Tran Duc Phan, vice head of the General Sports Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and chief of the Vietnamese sports delegation to Singapore, announced the estimate at a meeting on Thursday.

With 420 athletes to compete in 27 out of 36 sports categories at the 28th SEA Games, Vietnam sets a target to stand in top three on the medal tally of the sporting festival, which is organized every two years.

Thailand, Indonesia, and the host Singapore are forecast to be strong rivals against Vietnam for the target.

Vietnam has sent 18 teams on overseas training trips to prepare for the event. Swimmers and runners are training in the U.S. and Japan, shooters in South Korea, rowers in Singapore, gymnasts in Canada, and wushu and table tennis players in China.

The cost of food and accommodation for each athlete at the forthcoming tournament is US$50 a day, plus an additional $20 for other daily spending.

Sports Minister Hoang Tuan Anh officially submitted on Thursday a document to the central government to ask for their permission to organize the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam at the request of the Southeast Asian Games Federation.

At the 27th SEA Games in 2013, Vietnam ranked third in the overall medal standings with 73 gold medals, 86 silvers, and 86 bronzes, after Thailand with 107 golds and the host Myanmar with 86 golds.

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