At a regular press conference held this afternoon, journalists raised questions regarding the opening ceremony of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 33) on December 9, during which the host nation Thailand used digital effects to showcase maps of participating countries.

However, in the segment representing Vietnam, the displayed map was missing the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos as well as Phu Quoc Island - territories under Vietnam’s sovereignty. Reporters requested a response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pham Thu Hang, the Ministry’s spokesperson, stated that Vietnamese authorities have been working with the SEA Games 33 organizing committee in Thailand to address this error in the map shown during the event's opening.

"Once again, Vietnam firmly asserts its undisputed sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos in accordance with international law," she emphasized.

Errors during the ceremony and immediate response

The SEA Games 33 opening ceremony began with a vibrant artistic performance accompanied by a presentation of Southeast Asian countries. Each nation was introduced with a map and a greeting in its native language.

Vietnam appeared near the end, introduced with the Vietnamese phrase “Xin chào.” However, the country’s map on display lacked the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, as well as Phu Quoc Island - each a symbol of Vietnam’s territorial integrity.

Immediately during the ceremony, the leadership of the Vietnamese sports delegation contacted the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand to coordinate a response to the issue.

Recurring organizational errors from the host

The SEA Games organizing committee in Thailand has made repeated mistakes. In the same opening ceremony, the flag of Singapore was incorrectly attributed to the 1997 SEA Games, which were held in Indonesia.

Prior to that, in a published schedule for the women's futsal competition, Vietnam’s national flag was mistakenly swapped with Thailand’s, while Laos’ flag was misrepresented as Indonesia’s.

These repeated incidents have prompted Vietnam to request a thorough clarification and rectification from the host country.

Tran Thuong