Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand crowned Miss World 2025 (2025)

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Thailand’s Suchata “Opal” Chuangsri celebrates after being crowned Miss World 2025, alongside outgoing titleholder Krystyna Pyszkova of the Czech Republic (center left) and First Runner-Up Hasset Dereje Admassu of Ethiopia, at the 72nd Miss World pageant at the HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad on May 31, 2025. (AFP)

Hail to the new queen! A new ambassador of “beauty with a purpose” has been crowned Miss World, and she is Suchata Chuangsri from Thailand.

Suchata bested 107 other aspirants from different countries and territories around the world to become the 72nd winner of the longest-running international beauty contest.

The new queen received the “blue crown” from Krystyna Pyszkova, last year’s winner from the Czech Republic, at the culmination of the competition held at the Hyderabad International Convention and Exhibition Center (HITEX) in the southern Indian state of Telangana on Saturday evening, May 31.

Suchata is a familiar face in international pageantry who has had a brush with controversy when she earned the right to represent Thailand in the 2025 Miss World pageant. After the coronation night, she became the first Thai to win the title for her country.

She was a strong contender to bring the Miss Universe crown back to Thailand in 2024, but ended up as third runner-up at the end of the competition held in Mexico.

Her national organization had a falling out with the Miss Universe Organization after Miss Grand International founder Nawat Itsaragrisil secured the Thai national franchise for the Miss Universe pageant earlier this year.

The former Miss Universe Thailand organizer then partnered with the Thai Miss World licensee, and later appointed Suchata to compete in the 72nd Miss World pageant. This prompted the Miss Universe Organization to strip her of her third runner-up placement.

The new queen was the top contender from the Asia and Oceania group who advanced to the final round of the competition, along with the leaders from the three other continental groups.

Hasset Dereje Admassu from Ethiopia topped the Africa group and settled for the first runner-up spot. Maja Klajda from Poland represented the Europe group and finished as second runner-up.

Aurélie Joachim from Martinique was the top performer in the America and Caribbean group, and rounded up the winners’ circle as third runner-up.

The Philippines’ Krishnah Gravidez, a seasoned national pageant contestant hailing from Baguio City, fell short of her efforts to win the country’s second crown with a Top 8 finish. The first title was won by Megan Young in 2013.

Gravidez was in the Top 8 of the pageant after winning alongside Suchata in the Asia and Oceania group.

Philippine bet Krishnah Gravidez ends her #MissWorld2025 journey in the Top 8, as Thailand is named the continental winner for Asia and Oceania. | 📸: Miss World

Gravidez was among the Top 3 finishers in the 2023 Miss Universe Philippines pageant and was appointed as the country’s representative in the second Miss Charm pageant in Vietnam.

But after several postponements of the 2024 Miss Charm pageant, Gravidez decided to withdraw her participation in the contest and try her luck in the 2024 Miss World Philippines pageant instead.

She successfully won the Miss World Philippines title in a highly competitive field that included eventual Face of Beauty International winner Jeanne Isabelle Bilasano and eventual Reina Hispanoamericana winner Dia Mate.

This is the second straight year that India has hosted the Miss World pageant. Pyszkova won her crown in the competition held in Mumbai last year. The South Asian country first hosted the international tilt in 1996.

Miss World 2017 Manushi Chillar, the sixth Indian woman to win the blue crown, was among the judges in the competition, along with Indian actor Sonu Sood and Miss England 2014 Carina Tyrrell. /edv