HANOI, Vietnam – A delegation from the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), led by Vice President Adisak Benjasiriwan, arrived in Hanoi on October 29, 2025, to issue a formal apology to Vietnam. The visit addresses a significant error made during the official draw for the ASEAN U19 Boys’ Futsal Championship, where the Chinese national flag was mistakenly displayed instead of Vietnam’s.
The incident occurred on October 28 in Bangkok, during the official draw ceremony for the tournament, which was hosted by FAT. Viewers and journalists watching the online broadcast were surprised to see the Chinese flag incorrectly used to represent Vietnam. The video of the draw was subsequently removed from FAT’s official communication channels.
In response to the gaffe, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) promptly sent an urgent letter to both the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) and FAT on the same day. VFF lodged a strong protest, seeking clarification regarding the incident and emphasizing that such a serious error adversely affected Vietnam’s national image and negatively impacted ASEAN solidarity.
Later that evening, FAT released a press statement outlining its immediate steps to address the situation. Madam Pang (Nualphan Lamsam), President of FAT, also dispatched an official letter of apology to VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan concerning the incorrect display of the Vietnamese flag. In the press release, Mr. Benjasiriwan, who oversees futsal and beach football for FAT, extended his sincere apologies to the VFF and the people of Vietnam for the unfortunate incident.
Furthermore, Mr. Benjasiriwan confirmed that FAT had established a special investigative committee to ascertain accountability. Initial findings indicated that the error originated with the event organizers responsible for the draw, rather than directly with the AFF or FAT themselves, as reported by Thai newspaper Matichon.
Sources from VnExpress on October 29 revealed that the Thai delegation would hold discussions with VFF leaders in Hanoi, with both parties agreeing not to conduct a joint press conference. Madam Pang reiterated that this incident served as a profound lesson and pledged that FAT would significantly enhance its verification processes for images and content used in international events hosted by Thailand to prevent any recurrence.
The ASEAN U19 Boys’ Futsal Championship 2025 is scheduled to take place from December 23 to December 29, 2025, in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand. Vietnam has been drawn into Group A, alongside Brunei and host nation Thailand. Group B consists of Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Cambodia. All teams will compete in a round-robin format within their respective groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
