BANGKOK, Thailand – Minister of Culture Sabeeda Thaised has requested that the organizers of Miss Universe Cambodia 2026 cease sharing what the Ministry considers inaccurate historical information about traditional attire and correct the material presented during the pageant’s preliminary round. During a press conference on September 21, 2026, the minister presented the original glass plate negative of the disputed photograph to refute the pageant’s claims.
The controversy involves a video shown during the pageant’s preliminary round, in which hosts wearing traditional “sabai” and “jong kraben” used an archival photograph to claim the attire originated in the Cambodian royal court. The Ministry of Culture clarified that the image depicts a Siamese woman in Kamphaeng Phet province. The photograph, taken around 1906 during King Chulalongkorn’s reign, is preserved in the Vajirayana National Library. UNESCO recognized its historical significance by inscribing it in the Memory of the World Register in 2017.
The minister said the pageant organizers intentionally removed the Fine Arts Department’s watermark from the image to mislead the public, emphasizing that this is not a simple oversight. In response, the Ministry of Culture is issuing a formal warning letter demanding that the organizers correct the video immediately. The ministry emphasized that if the organizers do not comply, Thailand reserves the right to pursue further legal action to protect its cultural heritage. (NNT)
