| Event: | Badminton |
| Year: | 1981 |
| Venue: | Camp Crame Gymnasium |
| Location: | Quezon City, Philippines |
| Dates: | 6 December – 15 December |
| Nations: | 6 |
| Previous: | 1979 |
| Next: | 1983 |
Badminton events at the 1981 SEA Games were held at Camp Crame Gymnasium, Quezon City, Philippines, between 6 and 15 December.
| Men's singles | |||
| Women's singles | |||
| Men's doubles | |||
| Women's doubles | |||
| Mixed doubles | |||
| Men's team | Liem Swie King Hastomo Arbi Sigit Pamungkas Icuk Sugiarto Rudy Heryanto Kartono | Saw Swee Leong Misbun Sidek Ong Teong Boon Moo Foot Lian Jalani Sidek Razif Sidek | Bandid Jaiyen Sawei Chanseorasmee Sarit Pisudchaikul Preecha Sopajaree Suwat Poonumphai Wichit Assavanapakas |
Kyi Nyunt Wai Nyunt Maung Maung Win Htut Myint Han | |||
| Women's team | Verawaty Wiharjo Ivana Lie Imelda Wiguna Taty Sumirah Theresia Widiastuti Ruth Damayanti | Kanitta Mansamuth Suleeporn Jittariyakul Jutatip Banjongsilp Sirisriro Patama Amporn Kaitpituk Penpan Klangthamniem | Leong Chai Lean Katherine Teh Juliet Poon Kok Chan Fong |
Diana Del Castillo Leonora Rivera Corazon Anuran Rebecca Villegas Go Giok Leng Demetrin Santos | |||
| Discipline | Winner | Finalist | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's singles | Liem Swie King | Hastomo Arbi | 15–2, 15–7 | |
| Women's singles | Verawaty Fadjrin | Ivana Lie | 6–11, 11–4, 11–7 | |
| Men's doubles | Rudy Heryanto & Kartono | Jalani Sidek & Razif Sidek | 15–12, 15–6 | |
| Women's doubles | Ruth Damayanti & Verawaty Fadjrin | Theresia Widiastuti & Imelda Wiguna | 15–13, 15–4 | |
| Mixed doubles | Rudy Heryanto & Imelda Wiguna | Sigit Pamungkas & Theresia Widiastuti | 15–12, 15–5 |