After U22 Vietnam's defeat, Madam Pang officially apologized

Madam Pang admitted the Football Association of Thailand's errors after the painful defeat at the 2025 SEA Games held domestically.

At the Thai Olympic Committee's executive meeting on January 9, 2026, Nualphan Lamsam (Madam Pang) openly apologized after Thailand’s football and futsal teams failed to secure gold medals at the 33rd SEA Games, especially in the men’s football category.

Speaking before the executive committee, Madam Pang accepted responsibility and pointed out the Football Association of Thailand’s mistakes in management and team arrangement. She explained that the team’s suboptimal preparation was due to the SEA Games training schedule not aligning with FIFA Days, preventing the association from requesting clubs to release players. This forced many players to juggle club matches and national duties, severely impacting their fitness and performance.

"First of all, I must apologize to the Olympic Committee for not winning any gold medals in football at the SEA Games, particularly in men’s football. I admit this failure is the Football Association of Thailand’s fault for not allowing players to rest after club competitions, as the SEA Games training schedule did not coincide with FIFA Days," Madam Pang stated.

The president of the Football Association of Thailand also highlighted the current management challenge, as the Thai League's coefficient has risen to match China’s, increasing the number of slots for Asian club competitions: “We have to balance the interests between the national team and clubs, which requires great flexibility in management,” Madam Pang emphasized.

Regarding foreign player policies, she mentioned that the Thai League is adjusting to the broader Asian football standards. Increasing the foreign player quota improves league quality but also intensifies competition for domestic players: “We are working on adjustments to avoid weakening the pool of Thai players,” she added.

Reflecting on the SEA Games, Madam Pang admitted that the biggest challenge for men’s football was the congested schedule, with players having to return to their clubs immediately after national team matches, causing overload. She also candidly praised the Vietnamese team for their effective play and good timing, especially in the closing stages of the match.

Besides the main football topics, the Thai Olympic Committee’s meeting also discussed foundational issues such as plans for the Asian Beach Games, Asian Games, budget orientation and medal targets, as well as long-term development strategies aimed at the Olympics. However, the focal point remained Madam Pang’s apology and acceptance of responsibility, seen as a rare candid gesture after a SEA Games performance that fell short of Thailand’s sporting expectations.