Online Reporter
Melissa Mpofu,Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
A post on Facebook (FB) by the Miss Universe Thailand page on Sunday urging people to vote for 10 contestants to attend “a special dinner with the President of Thailand” has sparked controversy, with the Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) dismissing the campaign as false and unauthorised.
The now-debunked post invited followers to “𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐖 to select the 𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝟏𝟎 for the 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 & 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 with Mr. Nawat, Vice President of Miss Universe Asiana and President of Host Country Thailand,” encouraging users to like and share contestants’ photos to accumulate points.
Following public confusion and widespread online engagement, the Miss Universe Organisation released an official statement warning against such misleading initiatives.
“The Miss Universe Organisation issues this official statement to address and clarify recent online posts promoting an event described as a ‘Special Dinner & Talk Show.’
This activity is not authorised. Any independent or third-party activity using the Miss Universe name, logo, marks, or related branding without prior written authorisation is a violation of intellectual property rights and brand integrity,” read part of the statement.
The organisation emphasised that all official Miss Universe events, voting activities, and announcements are published only through verified channels — namely www.missuniverse.com, @missuniverse (Instagram), and the official Miss Universe Facebook page.
In response, Miss Universe Thailand issued its own statement defending the campaign, claiming that the “Like” voting initiative formed part of its authorised marketing package as the official host organisation
“As the officially licensed Host Organisation, we hold the rights to manage and execute such promotional activities within our territory.
The activity is a collaboration with our valued sponsors and designed as a fair and transparent method to determine which delegates will participate in specific activities,” read the Thai organisers’ statement.
They further noted that the MUO announcement had caused “public misunderstanding” and hinted at seeking legal recourse to protect their sponsors’ interests.
The dispute has left many fans questioning why a national page, rather than the official Miss Universe platform, was facilitating such a campaign.
This clarification from MUO comes at a critical time, as contestants have just begun their bootcamp ahead of the Miss Universe 2025 finale, scheduled for November 21 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Zimbabwe is being represented by Lyshanda Moyas, who arrived in Thailand last week to join 88 other contestants vying for the prestigious crown.
derick.khumalo