Bangkok: The Thai national under-22 football team secured a commanding victory over Timor-Leste with a score of 6-1 in the opening match of the SEA Games men’s football tournament. The match, which was part of Group A in the 2025 SEA Games, saw Thailand, the previous runner-up, displaying their strength and skills on the field.
According to Thai News Agency, the tournament also witnessed unexpected drama during the Group B match between Laos and Vietnam. An audio system malfunction prevented the playing of the national anthems before the match kickoff. This led to widespread concern among fans and on social media regarding the readiness of the event organizers.
Dr. Kongsak Yodmanee, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, clarified that there was no copyright issue preventing the playing of the national anthems. The mishap was attributed to a technical failure of the sound system, which had functioned normally during tests conducted two days prior to the event. As a result, both the Vietnamese and Laotian teams had to sing their national anthems without musical accompaniment. A letter of apology has been sent to the affected teams, and assurances have been made that the sound system will be fully operational for future matches.