The organizers of the 33rd SEA Games apologize to Vietnam for the territorial map error.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - The Thai Sports Organizing Committee has sent a letter of apology to Vietnam regarding the errors at the 33rd SEA Games, related to the display of the territorial map and the incident of displaying the national flag during the television broadcast.

On December 12th, the Thailand Sports Organizing Committee (THASOC) sent an official letter to the President of the Vietnam Olympic Committee, expressing their apologies for the shortcomings that occurred during the organization and broadcasting of the 33rd SEA Games and the 2025 ASEAN Para Games.

In a letter signed by Dr. Gongsak Yodmani – Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand and Secretary-General of THASOC – the host country acknowledged two regrettable mistakes, while affirming its willingness to learn, its sense of responsibility, and its commitment to preventing their recurrence.

The organizers of the 33rd SEA Games used a map of Vietnam that omitted the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos and Phu Quoc island (Screenshot).

Specifically, THASOC acknowledged the inaccurate depiction of Vietnam's territorial map in the performance "We Are One – Connected by the SEA" at the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games, held on the evening of December 9th at the Rajamangala Stadium. The map in the performance failed to show the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands, the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands, and Phu Quoc Island. The organizing committee recognized this as a particularly sensitive issue, related to sovereignty and territorial integrity, causing discomfort to the Vietnamese side.

In addition, THASOC also apologized for the technical incident during the live broadcast of the 3x3 basketball event, when the technical team mistakenly displayed the national flags of Malaysia, Laos, the Philippines, and Vietnam, causing concern for the participating delegations.

The organizers mistakenly displayed the Vietnamese flag when showing the schedule for the 3x3 basketball competition (Screenshot).

In the letter, THASOC affirmed that it does not take the aforementioned errors lightly, and will closely coordinate with relevant parties to rectify them, strengthen technical review and control to prevent recurrence. The host country's organizing committee is committed to paying attention to every detail in the organization, ensuring respect, standards, and proper conduct for all participating countries.

THASOC once again extends its sincere apologies to the President of the Vietnam Olympic Committee and all relevant parties, demonstrating its responsibility and goodwill in preserving the image and prestige of the largest sporting event in Southeast Asia.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/ban-to-chuc-sea-games-33-xin-loi-viet-nam-ve-sai-sot-ban-do-lanh-tho-20251214085936516.htm