Vietnam contacts Thailand's SEA Games organizers over map error in opening ceremony

During the opening ceremony of the Games on Dec. 9, Thailand, the host nation, used visual effects to simulate maps of Southeast Asian countries, but the projected map of Vietnam omitted the Paracel and Spratly archipelagos, as well as Phu Quoc Island.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang said at a press briefing on Dec. 11 that Vietnam’s relevant authorities have been and are continuing to work with the SEA Games 33 Organizing Committee regarding the error in the display of Vietnam’s map during the ceremony.

"Vietnam once again affirms its indisputable sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly archipelagos in accordance with international law," she said.

The SEA Games is the largest sporting event in Southeast Asia, held every two years and bringing together top athletes from 11 nations. The event typically takes place in odd-numbered years and features many Olympic and ASIAD disciplines, along with several sports selected by the host country.

Over more than 66 years, the SEA Games has become a symbol of regional friendship and an important platform for Southeast Asian sports to grow and assert their identities.

This year’s SEA Games is hosted by Thailand, but the Dec. 9 opening ceremony at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok faced several issues.

In a segment introducing the history of the Games, organizers mistakenly displayed the Singapore flag when referring to the 1997 edition held in Indonesia. There was also inconsistency in the medal count: the MC announced 574 sets of medals, while the lighting display showed 547.

Following the incident involving Vietnam’s map, where the Paracel and Spratly archipelagos and Phu Quoc Island were missing, the Vietnamese sports delegation reported the matter to the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand for further handling.