Vietnamese media points out that Thailand displayed an incorrect map of Vietnam during the 2025 SEA Games opening ceremony.
On 9 Dec 2025 GMT+7, after the official opening ceremony of the 2025 SEA Games was held in the evening, Vietnamese media focused attention on a serious mistake that occurred.
Specifically, during the artistic performance segment of the opening ceremony, while the performers danced traditional cultural dances, the organizers projected graphic maps of each country onto Rajamangala National Stadium. When the map of Vietnam was shown, many viewers immediately noticed that the graphic omitted the Spratly and Paracel Islands, as well as some islands under Vietnam's sovereignty.
According to Vietnamese media outlet Thanh Niên, once the Vietnamese sports authorities became aware of this serious error during the opening ceremony, the leaders in Vietnam's sports sector plan to send an official statement to the SEA Games 33 organizing committee requesting clarification and correction. This official communication aims to uphold respect among member countries and preserve the appropriate image of this regional event.
Vietnamese sports fans want the event organizers to issue an apology for this mistake.