BANGKOK — Miss Universe pageant has been widely regarded as the pinnacle of beauty pageantry for Thai fans. After claims of Thailand being robbed at Miss Universe, Thai owner of the pageant hits back.
Like the Philippines and many Latin American nations, Thailand is among the countries passionate about international beauty pageants. Thailand has already won the Miss Universe crown twice: Apasra Hongsakula in 1965 and Porntip Nakhirunkanok in 1988. Fans hope for the elusive “third crown” every year.
Even Thailand’s prime minister regularly comments on pageant results. Last year, when Anntonia Porsild became the first runner-up, then-Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin offered words of encouragement and praise.
This year, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was asked about the results after Thailand’s representative, Opal Suchata Chuangsri, came fourth. Many fans felt that she was the strongest contestant in the top five as she shone in the question and answer session and prevailed among the more than 120 contestants from different countries and territories.
Robbed of Victory?
The Prime Minister stopped short of criticizing the results, explaining that she had not watched the live broadcast due to her APEC meetings in Peru, but caught up on the news afterwards.
“I want to commend Opal for being so incredibly beautiful and giving an outstanding performance. She represented Thailand brilliantly and gave her fans a treat. I think every Thai sent their support to her,” she said.
The Miss Universe 2024 crown went to Victoria Kjær Theilvig from Denmark, a surprising choice considering that no European blondes have won the title for many years. Over the past two decades, the competition has usually been dominated by contestants from Latin America and Asia, with only one exception — a brunette from France in 2016.
British tabloid The Daily Mail reports widespread fan discontent on X (formerly Twitter), with many claiming Miss Thailand Opal Suchata was robbed of the victory at the 73rd Miss Universe final on Saturday evening in Mexico City.
The 21-year-old contestant from Phuket, who is currently studying International Relations at Thammasat College’s Faculty of Political Science, impressed viewers with her confident and thoughtful answers during the question and answer session.
A Natural Working Queen
Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, CEO of JKN Global Group and co-owner of the Miss Universe pageant, reacted sharply to the criticism, calling it “ridiculous” and describing the outcry as immature behavior.
“People who are throwing tantrums just because they didn’t get what they wanted need to understand that Miss Universe is like the Olympics of beauty,” she said.
Anne explained that this year’s points system has changed and the points accumulated will be taken into account from day one instead of focusing only on the final round.
“A Miss Universe should be a brand ambassador, someone who is lovely, likable, and personable. We’re looking for a queen who can work, not just someone with a pretty face or overly rehearsed answers — that’s fake and becomes irritating to work with,” Anne said.
She emphasized that answering the questions in English is not a requirement. Candidates can use their native language as long as they address the question directly.
Miss Universe co-owner also rejected claims that her possession had influenced the results. She clarified that an 11-member jury follows strict evaluation protocols.
“If you want me to pick the winner myself, then the competition is pointless,” she said, adding, “stop demanding the third crown. This is not a ready meal, this is the Olympics. If you want the crown, train harder. If you don’t like it, don’t watch. It’s as simple as that.”
Opal: ‘I Won Recognition’
For Opal, she declared that she had no regrets and no disappointments. “I gave it my best shot. Although I didn’t win the crown, I won recognition,” she said. Piyaporn Sankosik, an executive of TPN, the organizer of Miss Universe Thailand, added that Opal performed exceptionally well in the top five and that her answers impressed the group of National Directors who sat nearby during the finals.
During the first question round, Opal demonstrated her thoughtful perspective on leadership and human resilience. When asked about the qualities of a truly successful leader, she emphasized the importance of empathy.
“For me, it’s empathy,” she stated. “Because no matter how good you are, what kind of education you have, in the end, you need empathy to care about your people. To care about their well-being.” She expanded her view beyond leadership, adding, “And not only a leader, I believe that everyone in this world needs to have empathy among each other. That’s how we can unite.”
Later in the second question round, when the top five contestants were asked: Miss Universe has inspired generations of women. What is your message to the ones watching you right now?, Opal’s response focused on hope and perseverance, drawing from her personal experience with her project OPAL FOR HER.
“To always believe and to always have hope,” she began. “Working on my project OPAL FOR HER, I work with a lot of breast cancer patients and doctors. We all know that it is a hard thing to overcome this disease. But what I can feel is that everyone has hope. Everyone believes that tomorrow will be a better day. As long as you believe, your power is infinite. As long as you have hope, your spirit and power will shine.”
The Trump Effect
The Miss Universe pageant has faced criticism for its transformation and rebranding since its acquisition by Anne Jakrajutatip, who leads the new non-US ownership. Even after Mexico-based Legacy Holding purchased a 50% ownership stake in January, the pageant maintained its 2023 competition changes, which featured married, plus-sized, and transgender contestants.
However, according to a Daily Mail report, many Miss Universe fans hailed “the end of wokeness” and credited “The Trump Effect” after biological woman Miss Denmark won the 2024 crown.
Social media users linked Theilvig’s victory to the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement and thanked Trump, who once owned the Miss Universe Organization, for ‘bringing sanity back’ to the pageant industry.
Victoria Kjær Theilvig’s victory is a historic first for Denmark. At a press conference after winning, she expressed her pride: “I have worked so hard to make a name for myself again and make history. To be the first woman from Denmark to win Miss Universe is monumental. I know Denmark and Europe will be incredibly proud.”
__________
Related article:
Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark Is Crowned the 73rd Miss Universe
Thai PM: Don’t Be Disappointed; Anntonia Misses The Miss Universe Crown
