On April 3, Madam Pang, President of the Football Association of Thailand, arrived in Hanoi to attend a friendly match between the Vietnamese and Thai U17 women’s teams.

After wrapping up her schedule, she headed to Noi Bai Airport for her return flight. There, she had dinner with a bowl of chicken pho - a signature dish of Hanoi. Sharing a video of the meal, the Thai billionaire commented, “This dish is so good I want to take it home.”

In the video, Madam Pang can be seen smiling, nodding with delight, and flashing “OK” hand signs to show her approval of the flavorful pho.

Before diving into the steaming bowl of pho, she squeezed in a bit of lime and added plenty of fresh chili. Thais are well-known for their love of spicy food. In the clip, Madam Pang also clearly pronounces the Vietnamese words “pho” and “Hanoi,” which drew warm reactions from Vietnamese netizens.

Within just 12 hours of being posted, the video had garnered more than 1,000 comments and nearly 15,000 likes. Some fans even suggested that she bring Vietnamese pho back to Thailand to open a restaurant.

Others expressed hopes she would return to Hanoi more often to explore its rich culinary scene. Online users also enthusiastically recommended some of the capital’s most famous chicken pho spots, such as Pho Ga Cham, Pho Ga Nguyet, Pho Ga Tien, and Pho Ga Huyen Huong.

Madam Pang, whose real name is Nualphan Lamsam, is a Thai billionaire with an expansive career across business, philanthropy, and sports.

Born in 1966 in Bangkok, she comes from the renowned Lamsam family - an influential Chinese-Thai lineage that has played a pivotal role in shaping Thailand’s economic and financial landscape.

In February 2024, she officially became President of the Football Association of Thailand, making history as the first woman to ever hold the top leadership position in Thai football.

Linh Trang