Thailand apologizes for the map omitting the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, and Phu Quoc Island from the SEA Games opening ceremony.

Five days after the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games, host country Thailand sent a letter of apology to the Vietnamese sports delegation for the error in displaying a flawed map of Vietnam.

The map of Vietnam (on the right) was incomplete when host country Thailand displayed it at the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games, omitting the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos - Photo: KHAOSOD

The incident occurred at the end of the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games, when host country Thailand displayed a map showing the corresponding Southeast Asian countries.

A map of Vietnam appears alongside the Vietnamese phrase "Xin chào" (Hello). However, it's noteworthy that the map of Vietnam displayed omits the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, as well as Phu Quoc Island, which are under Vietnam's sovereignty .

This mistake was immediately pointed out by numerous fans and the press. For example, the Thai newspaper Thairath stated: "This is a serious error."

Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said that Vietnamese authorities have worked with the Thai organizing committee of the 33rd SEA Games regarding the error in the depiction of the Vietnamese map.

Recently, the SEA Games Organizing Committee officially sent its first apology to the Vietnam Olympic Committee for this mistake. The letter of apology was signed by Mr. Kongsak Yodmanee, Director General of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT).

Director General of SAT Yodmanee - Photo: KHAOSOD

Thailand wrote in its apology letter:

"1. Regarding the misrepresentation of Vietnamese territory in the performance "We Are One - Connected by the Sea" at the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games on December 9, 2025, at the Rajamangala National Stadium:

It appears that the organizers did not include the Paracel Islands, the Spratly Islands, and Phu Quoc Island on the map of Vietnam, which has caused displeasure for Vietnam, as this is an extremely sensitive issue related to national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

2. Incorrect graphic information was displayed during the live broadcast of the 3x3 basketball competition:

The broadcasting team displayed the wrong flags for the participating teams, including Malaysia, Laos, the Philippines, and Vietnam, causing concern and frustration among the participating countries.

The Sports Organizing Committee of Thailand (THASOC) does not ignore these issues and will work with all relevant parties to rectify and prevent any future mishaps that could lead to inappropriate behavior. We are committed to paying attention to every detail and ensuring that these incidents do not recur.

Once again, we sincerely apologize for any disappointment caused."

Besides the map error regarding Vietnam, Thailand also made the mistake of displaying the Indonesian flag instead of the Singaporean flag during the opening ceremony. In recent days, they have continued to make numerous flag-related mistakes in various sporting events.

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HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thai-lan-xin-loi-vu-ban-do-thieu-quan-dao-truong-sa-hoang-sa-phu-quoc-o-khai-mac-sea-games-20251214081915606.htm