SEA Games 33 and the feelings of Vietnamese people living far from home.

Unlike the mild weather of the previous days, Bangkok's weather turned scorching hot on December 15th, when the Vietnam U22 team faced the Philippines in the semi-finals of the men's football tournament at the 33rd SEA Games. There was almost no shade along the road leading to the Rajamangala Stadium, but from around noon, many stalls had already been set up to sell goods and services related to the match.

Amidst the stalls displaying the red, white, and blue colors of the Thai flag, a vibrant red stall belonging to a Vietnamese vendor suddenly appeared. There, they sold national flags, t-shirts printed with the red flag and yellow star, along with headbands and stickers to support the national team.

When I arrived, Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong, from Thanh Hoa province, was setting up her stall alone, some items placed on a plastic sheet spread on the ground, others hung on a large umbrella. She said that during the SEA Games, she took advantage of the opportunity to set up a stall at Rajamangala Stadium to sell flags, shirts, and other items to support the Vietnamese team.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong stands beside the flags and her red shirt with a yellow star. Photo: Thanh Hai

"I've lived alone in Bangkok for five years in the bustling Phatum Wan area, famous for the huge Siam shopping mall. My job is trading. Normally, I'm very busy, but I still manage to be here," Ms. Phuong shared with a reporter from Tien Phong newspaper, then pointed to her stall, "I opened my stall since the Vietnam U22 vs. Malaysia match, and I don't understand why the security staff are making things difficult for me today. I'm not allowed to sell inside and have to go all the way out here."

Ms. Phuong said, "Selling goods at Rajamangala Stadium doesn't actually make much profit," mainly because she "noticed that many Vietnamese people, living in Thailand or coming from Vietnam to cheer, lacked certain items, so she decided to open a stall to support them and create a better atmosphere at the stadium so that our U22 team could perform better."

She also knows that Thai cheering accessories are very diverse, from bows and hair clips to fans printed with images of the players. We only have a few traditional items. However, designing and producing them individually is complicated and expensive. Moreover, even these items aren't available in Thailand, so she has to order them printed in Vietnam and have them shipped over by air.

Ms. Phuong hopes to celebrate her gold medal in football in Thailand. Photo: Thanh Hai

"The costs aren't low, so I can't say I got rich from selling jerseys at the SEA Games for just a few days," Ms. Phuong laughed. "Besides, I'd like to sell at other locations, like the Supachalasai athletics stadium for example, but unfortunately, I can't manage to run back and forth alone."

According to Ms. Phuong, what makes her happy with this job is "being immersed in the festive atmosphere, especially having the opportunity to meet and interact with many Vietnamese people to ease her homesickness."

"Leaving home is for the sake of making a living, because there's no place like my country, my homeland," she expressed, "So selling T-shirts stems from patriotism, and also from the pride of standing in Thailand to introduce myself as a Vietnamese."

From a personal perspective, Ms. Phuong said that there is an underlying rivalry between the Thais and the Vietnamese. For example, at the 33rd SEA Games, an event that the Thais were very interested in, they were eager to win as many gold medals as possible to reclaim their position as the number one team in Southeast Asia in terms of sports . Matches, not just football but also volleyball, shooting, or martial arts, always attracted large crowds whenever Vietnam competed.

"I also hope that the shirts and flags I brought will accompany the fans into the stadium, igniting the passion to inspire our players to play exceptionally well. Winning the championship in Thailand would be the greatest thing," she said hopefully.

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