Vietnam works with SEA Games 33 organisers over map error: Spokesperson

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2025

Vietnamese authorities have been working with the organisers of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Thailand regarding inaccuracies in the depiction of Vietnam's map during the Games’ opening ceremony, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MoFA) spokesperson Pham Thu Hang told the press on December 11.

She was responding to reporters’ questions about the December 9 opening ceremony, where the organisers used visual effects to display maps of Southeast Asian countries, with Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly), as well as Phu Quoc Island absent from the map shown for Vietnam.

“Vietnam once again reaffirms its indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa in accordance with international law,” Hang stated.

The SEA Games is the largest multi-sport event in Southeast Asia, held every two years, bringing together outstanding athletes from 11 countries in the region. This year's SEA Games are being held in Thailand.

The opening ceremony at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on the evening of December 9th encountered some problems.

Following a projection issue involving a map of Vietnam that omitted the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, as well as Phu Quoc Island, the Vietnamese sports delegation reported the incident to the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand for resolution. 

Viet Nam News

Asia News Network