A contestant who won a Cambodian beauty competition has caused debate after making a political comment alleging that Thailand is “fomenting tension.”
As reported by Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 20th, the social media (SNS) profile of the Cambodian beauty competition shared a video featuring Chouri Laorhours, who was named Miss Teen Cambodia, giving a speech.
In the video, Laorhours starts her speech in Khmer while holding the Cambodian flag.
She demanded the return of 18 Cambodian soldiers held in Thailand, stating, “Cambodia and Thailand have always lived in peace, but Thailand initiated a conflict, breaking the harmony. This is something we never desired.”
She stated, “We do not wish to engage in conflict. We seek peace,” and highlighted, “We are not adversaries. We are fellow residents. We are entitled to a future free from animosity and warfare.”
The crowd and fellow competitors applauded her speech.
After the video was posted, mixed reactions have overwhelmed both nations. Cambodian online users commended her speech as being nationalistic, whereas Thai users raised doubts about the suitability of expressing political views during a beauty competition.
Some reviewers also claimed that the pageant winner was fueling negative feelings toward Thailand during a time of diplomatic delicacy.
Thailand and Cambodia experienced border conflicts in July, leading to at least 48 fatalities within five days. In reaction, U.S. President Donald Trump urged both parties to stop the fighting, cautioning that he would not discuss tariffs if the dispute persisted. The two nations ultimately reached a ceasefire agreement on the 26th of the previous month and have since taken actions like removing heavy weapons and clearing landmines from the border region.
