Bangkok. The SEA Games 2025 opening ceremony at Rajamangala Stadium on Tuesday night delivered a full-scale spectacle of Thai cultural dances, laser shows, and LED visuals, but the celebration was overshadowed by a diplomatic faux pas: Indonesia’s flag was mistakenly replaced with Singapore’s.

The ceremony, which ran for more than two and a half hours, began later than scheduled as King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Sineenat had yet to arrive.

The festive atmosphere shifted abruptly when organizers introduced Indonesia as the host of the 1997 SEA Games, only for the screen to flash Singapore’s flag instead of the Red-and-White. The mistake quickly drew criticism from Indonesian viewers and spectators who noticed the error.

This was not the first flag-related mishap ahead of the Games. A women’s football schedule published on the official SEA Games website earlier showed Laos’ flag next to Indonesia’s name, while Thailand’s flag was incorrectly swapped with Vietnam’s.

Technical errors continued during the opening night. From the total 574 medals to be contested, organizers displayed 547 on screen. Vietnam’s introduction also featured an incomplete national map, omitting the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.

The SEA Games are currently underway in Thailand, running from December 9 to 20, 2025. This 33rd edition of the Games is being jointly hosted by Bangkok and Chonburi under the motto "Play by The Rules," emphasizing fair play and sustainability. Over 12,000 athletes and officials from all 11 Southeast Asian nations are competing in 50 official sports, including core Olympic disciplines and regional mainstays like sepak takraw and muaythai

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