Thai media criticizes SEA Games 33 for incident with Vietnam.
Thai media has criticized the organization of the 33rd SEA Games following a series of problems affecting the Vietnamese teams: training sessions were 30 minutes late, the national anthem was played incorrectly, and traveling 25km took almost an hour.
Thai media criticized the organization of the 33rd SEA Games following a series of incidents affecting the Vietnamese teams. According to Siam Sports, both the Vietnamese men's and women's teams faced disadvantages during the preparation phase. Thairath noted that the U22 Vietnam team arrived 30 minutes late for training before their match against Laos, while Matichon and Khaosod reported that the national anthems of both teams were not played correctly after the U22 Vietnam – U22 Laos match. For the women's team, the 25km journey to Chonburi took nearly an hour, slowing down tactical adjustments.
Main highlights
- Vietnam U22 team started training 30 minutes late before the match against Laos; coaching staff had to adjust the plan (Thairath).
- The national anthems of both teams were not played correctly after the U22 Vietnam – U22 Laos match (Matichon, Khaosod).
- The Vietnamese women's team took nearly an hour to travel 25km to Chonburi, slowing down their tactical adjustments (according to Thai media).
The incidents mentioned
| Problem | Team/Match | Time/Distance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arriving late for practice means the training time is shortened. | Vietnam U22 (before playing Laos) | 30 minutes late | Thairath |
| The national anthem was not played correctly. | Vietnam U22 vs Laos U22 | After the match | Matichon, Khaosod |
| Prolonged movement affects tactical adjustments. | Vietnam women's national team | The 25km journey to Chonburi takes almost an hour (excluding travel time in Bangkok). | Thai media |
Impact on preparation and performance in competition.
The late training session forced the U22 Vietnam coaching staff to adjust the training plan right before the match—a period when all details are usually finalized to stabilize the players' biological rhythms and exercise volume. The fact that the national anthem wasn't played properly diminished the solemnity of the match, as reflected by Matichon and Khaosod, and created unnecessary psychological repercussions after the 90 minutes of play. For the women's team, the 25km journey to Chonburi took nearly an hour, delaying the review and refinement of tactics—a crucial factor in the packed SEA Games schedule.
A perspective from the Thai media.
Siam Sports emphasized that the Vietnamese national teams—both men's and women's—faced disadvantages right from the preparation stage, from travel schedules to training conditions. From the perspective of the Thai press, these were not isolated problems but a series of organizational issues that needed to be addressed to ensure professionalism.
Wider impact on the tournament
Criticism from the Thai media shows that the problems at the 33rd SEA Games not only posed difficulties for Vietnam but also raised concerns about the overall quality of the organization. Expectations are placed on quickly resolving these issues to protect the prestige of the tournament, especially for football—where fan interest is always high.
