Despite more than six decades of existence, the SEA Games continue to struggle with the image of an “ao làng,” or village pond—a colloquial Vietnamese term suggesting insularity and amateurism. Because the Games lack an independent governance mechanism and remain overly dependent on host countries, they suffer from persistent issues. These include refereeing controversies, arbitrary selection of competition events, maps that misrepresent national sovereignty, and even the withdrawal of national delegations.

Without reform, the SEA Games will continue to function as a largely symbolic, movement-style sporting event rather than evolving into a professional regional sports arena where international standards are upheld.