Cambodia apologises after using wrong SEA Games logo featuring buffalo
Incorrect logo reportedly mistakenly copied from unidentified online troll
Cambodia reportedly issued an apology after using the wrong logo for the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which will be hosted by Thailand this year. The country mistakenly used a buffalo-themed logo rather than the official design created by Thailand.
Thailand is set to host the 33rd SEA Games across three provinces — Bangkok, Chon Buri, and Songkhla — from December 9 to 20 this year. The country will also host the ASEAN Para Games from January 20 to 26 next year.
The SEA Games logo for this year was designed by Teeraphop Wangsinlapakhun, founder of TNOP Design, based on the concept “Play by the Rules.” The design features the shape of traditional Thai roof architecture, incorporating overlapping curved lines in blue, light blue, red, and gold.
This new logo replaces the previous version, which depicted Thailand’s national fish, the Siamese fighting fish, designed by Rueangwit Phutharaporn.
The new logo recently became the centre of online controversy after Thai netizens noticed that Cambodia’s official SEA Games website displayed a completely different logo. Instead of the earlier Thai logo featuring the fighting fish, the site showed a buffalo-themed emblem that appeared unrelated.
Amid rising tensions, many Thai netizens speculated that the Cambodian Olympic Committee intentionally stirred conflict between citizens of the two nations.
To address the issue, Thana Chaiprasit, Secretary of the Olympic Committee of Thailand, clarified that both countries had previously agreed the games would focus on sport and not political tensions.
Thana explained that a representative from the Cambodian Olympic Committee assured him there was no ill intent. The website team managing Cambodia’s SEA Games page had reportedly copied the buffalo logo from a satirical source online.
According to Thana, the Cambodian representative personally apologised during a phone call and confirmed the incorrect logo would be removed immediately. However, Channel 3 reported that the Cambodian website has remained offline since the controversy began.
Despite the explanation, many Thai netizens remained sceptical. Some claimed the error appeared too deliberate to be accidental.
In addition to the SEA Games logo dispute, online communities in both Thailand and Cambodia have also clashed over the airline mascots of Thai Airways and Cambodia Airways, arguing that the characters look suspiciously alike.
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