Thailand top medals table

VIENTIANE, - Thailand finished atop the medals table at the Southeast Asian Games Friday, narrowly holding off Vietnam to retain their crown as the region's sporting powerhouse.

Thailand, who topped the charts when they hosted the games in 2007, won 86 golds, three more than Vietnam and double the 43 scooped by Indonesia, who will hold the next edition in 2011.

On the final day of events at the 25th SEA Games in Laos capital Vientiane, Thailand and Vietnam won two golds apiece. Thailand won a tennis gold and one in petanque. Vietnam won two golds in shooting. The Thais came out on top in athletics, while Singapore were kings of the pool and Malaysia took the under-23 football title for the first time in 20 years, beating Vietnam in the final Thursday.

The SEA Games are held every two years in sports ranging from athletics and swimming to sepak takraw and wushu. -AFP