Thailand apologizes for showing incomplete Vietnam map at 33rd SEA Games opening ceremony

The incident occurred at the end of the opening ceremony, when Thailand presented maps representing each Southeast Asian country.

Vietnam’s map appeared alongside the Vietnamese greeting ‘Xin chào,’ but notably omitted Paracel and Spratly Archipelagos, as well as Phu Quoc Island, territories under Vietnam’s sovereignty.

The omission was quickly flagged by fans and the media.

Thailand’s Thairath newspaper described the incident as ‘a serious mistake.’

The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' spokesperson Pham Thu Hang confirmed that Vietnamese authorities had worked with the 33rd SEA Games organizing committee regarding the error in the display of Vietnam’s map during the ceremony.

The Thailand Sports Organizing Committee (THASOC) has recently issued an official letter of apology to the Vietnam Olympic Committee.

In a letter signed by Dr. Gongsak Yodmani, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, the host nation’s organizing committee acknowledged and clarified two regrettable errors, while affirming its responsible and constructive approach and its commitment to preventing any recurrence of similar incidents.

Specifically, THASOC admitted to the inaccurate depiction of Vietnam’s map during the third performance, titled ‘We Are One – Connected by the SEA,’ at the opening ceremony for the 33rd SEA Games, held on the evening of December 9 at Rajamangala National Stadium.

The 33rd SEA Games Organizing Committee recognized that this was a particularly sensitive issue, directly related to national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that it had caused discomfort to the Vietnamese side.

In addition, THASOC apologized for a technical error during the live broadcast of the 3x3 basketball competition, in which the production team mistakenly displayed the national flags of several participating teams, including Malaysia, Laos, the Philippines, and Vietnam, leading to concern and dissatisfaction among the countries taking part in the Games.

In the letter, THASOC stressed that it does not take these mistakes lightly and will work closely with all relevant parties to address them.

The committee also pledged to strengthen technical reviews and controls to prevent the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future.

The host nation’s organizing committee reaffirmed its commitment to paying close attention to every detail of the organizational process, ensuring respect, propriety, and accuracy for all countries participating in the Games.