Thailand started sending athletes to the Southeast Asian Games in 1959 as a Founding member of the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) alongside Burma (now Myanmar), Kampuchea (now Cambodia), Laos, Malaya (now Malaysia), and the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam).

The 1963 edition of the games that would have been hosted by Cambodia was cancelled due to domestic political situation within the nation.

In the most-recent 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, Thailand ranked second in the medal tally behind Vietnam.

Until today, Thailand was the only country that consistently ranked in the top 3 in every edition of the Southeast Asian Games.

Thailand is set to host the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, after 18 years.