Southeast Asian Nations Continue Miss Universe Selection Amid Potential Ban
Southeast Asian countries press ahead with Miss Universe selections despite possible ban from international pageant. Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore proceed...
POLICY WIRE — Hanoi, Vietnam — National pageant organizers in Southeast Asia are continuing to choose their Miss Universe representatives, even as a conflict threatens to block them from competing in the upcoming global event.
Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore are moving forward with their national contests, while Thailand has already selected its contestant, despite warnings that competitors from six South East Asian nations might be excluded from the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico.
The dispute began when JKN Universe, the company that controls the Miss Universe brand and licensing rights, declared that it would not recognize franchise agreements for Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, and Singapore. It claimed these agreements were unauthorized and that contestants chosen through them would not be eligible to compete. However, MU East, one of the two companies that jointly owns the Miss Universe business, challenged this decision, arguing that any major decisions require mutual agreement between both ownership groups.
MU East, which oversees operations in 95 eastern territories, stated that the six contestants should still be allowed to participate. At a press conference, Nawat Itsaragrisil, head of Miss Universe Eastern, confirmed that the six competitors would definitely travel to Puerto Rico. Despite the uncertainty, national pageants in the region continue as planned.
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In Vietnam, the Miss Universe Vietnam 2026 competition is set for October 2 in Hai Phong, with organizers stating that the international dispute will not affect the event. Similarly, Malaysia has selected 13 finalists for its 2026 competition, with the final set for October 2. This year’s contest has expanded eligibility to women aged 21 to 50, reflecting a more inclusive approach.
Singapore held auditions for its 2026 representative in late September, with another walk-in audition scheduled for September 28. The national final is set for October 13. Pageant director Sean Wong expressed confidence that Singapore’s representative would reach the international stage, though he raised concerns about how the dispute might impact her eligibility and treatment.
Thailand has already crowned its contestant, Tharina Botes, who will represent the country at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on November 24.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
