Despite strong home support and high expectations, Viet Nam were unable to overcome the defending champions, who secured their third consecutive win over Viet Nam in a regional final, following previous victories in 2014 and 2023.
Both teams had dominated the group stage with perfect records and advanced to the final after convincing semi-final performances, with Viet Nam beating Indonesia 4-0 and Thailand defeating Myanmar 5-1.
The match saw a cautious start before Thailand took a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute through Rinyaphat Moondong.
Viet Nam equalised in first minutes of the second half with a penalty by Thuy Nga, but Thailand quickly regained the lead with a penalty of their own and added a third goal in the 68th minute to seal a 3-1 victory.
In the third-place play-off earlier the same day, Indonesia edged Myanmar 6-5 on penalties after a goalless draw.
The tournament, organised by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), featured eight teams divided into two groups.
