The fact that F Band used the Piêu scarf as a loincloth during the X–Factor semi-final night on October 12 was considered improper by cultural researchers, while the Thai ethnic community spoke out, saying they deserve an apology.

The X–Factor – Vietnam’s Hidden Factor semi-final night on October 12 was a stage for timeless love songs as well as newly performed compositions.

Among the performances of the semi-final night, F Band brought to the stage their signature mash-up style, combining famous songs by musicians Trần Tiến and Nguyễn Cường, including The Flame of the Highlands, As Long as We Still Love Each Other, Come Back to Buôn Ma Thuột, and The Eyes of Pleiku.

In this performance, the members of F Band wore costumes inspired by the Central Highlands to match the spirit of the songs. However, what drew criticism was their use of the Piêu scarf—a traditional headscarf of Thai women in the Northwest—altered into a loincloth, instead of using a proper loincloth traditionally worn by Central Highlands men.

This incident made many people feel offended, especially members of the Thai ethnic community in the Northwest, who expressed strong outrage. Ms. Tòng Thị Lan shared her frustration on Facebook: “We need an apology! The Piêu scarf of the Thai people cannot be turned into a loincloth in a television program.”

Contacting Mr. Ngô Đức Thịnh, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Director of the Center for Research and Preservation of Vietnamese Folk Beliefs, he confirmed that the “loincloth” worn by the band members was in fact a Piêu scarf belonging to Thai women.

“It is unacceptable to mix cultures by turning the headscarf of one ethnic group into the loincloth of another. I cannot understand what they were thinking when making such a combination,” Mr. Ngô Đức Thịnh stated.

The Piêu scarf carries deep cultural significance. It is not only a measure of a Thai woman’s skillfulness and diligence, but also a bridge connecting the emotional lives of young men and women within the Thai community.

This is a serious mistake in terms of cultural knowledge, if not an outright act of cultural disrespect.

When contacted, a well-known cultural researcher with many years of experience studying Vietnamese folk culture expressed indignation, stating that it was unacceptable for a national television channel to broadcast a program to the entire country while distorting traditional costumes in such a careless and improper manner.

Director Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, who has many years of teaching experience in the Northwest region, described the offensive costume as a case of “cultural ignorance”:

“It is clearly the Piêu headscarf worn by Thai women in the Northwest, and using it as a decorative item for male Central Highlands costumes is inappropriate. Moreover, traditional Central Highlands men only wear loincloths; I do not understand who could have such ‘cultural ignorance’.”

From the production side of X Factor, Ms. Mai Linh, head of communications for Cát Tiên Sa, said she was very surprised by the feedback and promised to discuss the issue with the production team before issuing an official response to the press.

Source: VTC News