Miss Universe Cambodia has admitted a mistake in its use of an image depicting women it claimed were Cambodians, saying it was included unintentionally because its original source had not been properly verified.
Prasat Davin, national director of Miss Universe Cambodia 2026, issued the statement yesterday after Thailand’s Culture Ministry strongly protested the use of the image in a pageant presentation and demanded an apology.
Prasat said the use of “certain images” was unintentional and resulted from “insufficient verification of the original sources of those images.”
It stressed that there had been no intention to cause misunderstanding, controversy or offend audiences, either nationally or internationally.
The presentation was intended to highlight the diversity and historical value reflected in the beauty and elegance of the traditional ‘Sbai’ garment, which it described as a precious cultural heritage of the Khmer nation.
It said it respectfully accepts constructive feedback and criticism and will treat the incident as a learning experience by strengthening procedures for verifying the sources of information, images and content in the future.
The statement did not explicitly mention Thailand or identify the disputed photograph by name.
The controversy centred on a historical photograph of women from Kamphaeng Phet wearing traditional dress, which was used in a presentation about Cambodian culture and the traditional ‘Sbai’ garment.
Culture Minister Sabeeda Thaised said the photograph was taken in Kamphaeng Phet in 1906, during the reign of King Chulalongkorn, and is part of the National Archives of Thailand’s collection.
Sabeeda said the photograph had been presented as Cambodian cultural heritage despite originating in Thailand.
She said the original image carried a Fine Arts Department watermark, which had been removed from the version used in the pageant, and no source attribution was provided.
The minister called on the organisers to stop disseminating what she described as misleading information, correct the presentation and apologise.
