SIX REPRESENTATIVES from Southeast Asia will not be flying to Puerto Rico for the 75th Miss Universe as a result of an ongoing dispute among pageant executives.
This year’s competition will be missing delegates from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Laos.
The non-inclusion came as the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) remains at odds with Miss Universe Eastern, a regional division led by Miss Grand International (MGI) founder Nawat Itsaragrisil.
MUO, led by Raul Rocha, earlier announced that the franchises awarded by Miss Universe Eastern to the Southeast Asian countries are unauthorized and “void ab initio,” or invalid at the outset. Its candidates have also been absent from the pageant’s online voting page.
In a statement released Wednesday, Oct. 21, MGI said “it is no longer reasonably possible to send the six representatives to participate in the 75th Miss Universe competition under conditions that adequately protect their status, dignity, safety, and equal treatment.”
The organization stressed, however, that this should not be taken as a “voluntary withdrawal” because their Miss Universe franchises “were lawfully obtained.”
“The six women will continue to hold and perform their respective national titles and responsibilities within their countries, subject to their applicable arrangements,” MGI said. “Their achievements, dignity, and worth cannot be determined by whether circumstances beyond their control prevent them from appearing on one particular international stage.”
Miss Universe Thailand 2026 Tharina Botes, one of the candidates affected by the ongoing dispute, remains optimistic despite the setback.
“A dream is never defined by a single moment, a title, or a stage,” she said in an Instagram post, declaring that she “will never stop dreaming, growing, or believing in the woman I am becoming.”
“This is not the end of my story. It’s simply another chapter. There are still dreams to chase, beautiful moments to embrace, and so much more waiting to unfold,” she added.
The Miss Universe 2026 coronation night will be held in Puerto Rico on November 24.
Bea Millan-Windorski is aiming for the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe crown after Catriona Gray (2018), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), Margie Moran (1973), and Gloria Diaz (1969). (ABS-CBN News)
