Thai Minister apologizes to Vietnam for national anthem incident.
Atthakorn Sirilathayakorn apologized for the incident of not being able to play the national anthem at the Vietnam U22 – Laos U22 match at Rajamangala Stadium, and promised to come to the stadium for the next match to apologize in person.
Thailand's Minister of Tourism and Sports, Atthakorn Sirilathayakorn, has apologized to the Vietnamese sports delegation for the incident where the national anthem was not played during the opening match between Vietnam U22 and Laos U22 at the 33rd SEA Games. According to Thairath, he said he would attend Vietnam U22's next match to apologize in person.
A moment of apology and a message of responsibility.
Mr. Atthakorn made a surprise appearance at the baseball game between the Vietnamese and Thai teams at the 33rd SEA Games and personally apologized to the Vietnamese athletes after the match. This move came after the ceremonial incident at the Vietnam U22 – Laos U22 match on December 3rd at Rajamangala Stadium when the national anthem was not played as planned.
The Thai minister acknowledged shortcomings in the preparations for the 33rd SEA Games and said he would attend the upcoming football matches to personally apologize to the Vietnam U22 and Laos U22 teams.
The context of the incident and public pressure.
According to Thairath, after the baseball game ended, Mr. Atthakorn met with the Vietnamese athletes to apologize. He shared that he had initially wanted to remain silent amidst the controversy surrounding the organization, but due to public reaction, he decided to speak out and apologize to the Vietnamese and Laotian teams.
The ceremonial errors attracted significant attention. The Minister's direct acceptance of responsibility is seen as a step to rectify the image and reaffirm the commitment to ensuring fairness for all participating sports delegations at the 33rd SEA Games.
Impact on organizational image and standards
In his message, Mr. Atthakorn acknowledged shortcomings that could affect Thailand's image in the eyes of the international community. At a regional multi-sport event, the accuracy of the ceremonies – especially the national anthem before competition – is a minimum requirement to ensure respect and a fair playing environment for all teams.
The commitment to appearing in upcoming matches helps ensure that the issue is addressed on the spot, minimizing the risk of recurrence and laying the groundwork for restoring confidence among teams, athletes, and fans.
Other organizational problems
Besides the national anthem incident, the SEA Games 33 organizing committee also caused outrage by displaying incorrect information about the venue for the match between the Myanmar and Philippines women's teams, leading many fans to mistakenly go to the stadium where the Vietnam women's team was playing against Malaysia. This is another indication that information coordination needs to be tightened to avoid affecting the audience experience and the progress of the competition.
Key points
- Mr. Atthakorn Sirilathayakorn apologized for the incident of not being able to play the national anthem during the Vietnam U22 vs. Laos U22 match at Rajamangala Stadium (December 3).
- The minister will attend the next U22 Vietnam match to apologize in person; and has pledged to be present at upcoming football matches.
- Acknowledging shortcomings in the preparation process that may have affected Thailand's image, efforts will be made to rectify them and ensure fairness for all delegations.
- The organizers also displayed the wrong location for the Myanmar women's team vs. Philippines women's team match, causing fans to go to the wrong stadium.
