It’s that time of year again, the new Miss World has been crowned! Opal Chuangsri (สุชาตา ช่วงศรี) of Thailand made history and headlines by becoming her country’s first-ever Miss World. The model was crowned the winner at the grand finale of this year’s pageant, held over the weekend in Hyderabad, India.
“I’m deeply honoured and humbled by this responsibility. I promise to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the mission of Beauty With a Purpose, using my voice and actions to uplift, support, and inspire,” she wrote in her victory post on Instagram. Let’s learn a little more about Thailand’s first Miss World winner.
1. She was the 3rd Runner-up for Miss Universe 2024
This is not Opal’s first time on the international pageant stage. In fact, she was crowned third runner-up at Miss Universe 2024, where Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark took home the title. The Thai model has come a long way since then, and now the previous Miss World winner, Krystyna Pyszková of Czechia, has graciously passed the crown to her successor during the finale.
“You are entering a wonderful chapter filled with opportunity and potential, and I know that you will be amazing. I can’t wait to see you shine and make your mark on the world. I’ll be here to support you and cheer you on every step of the way ✨,” said Krystyna.
2. She’s a political science student
Talk about beauty with brains. Opal will not let a beauty pageant get in the way of her studies. According to AsiaOne, she’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations, with interests in psychology and anthropology at Thammasat University in Bangkok.
3. She’s proficient in Chinese
Not only can she speak English and Thai, but she’s also reportedly proficient in Chinese, having graduated from the Triam Udom Suksa School in Bangkok with a specialisation in the Chinese language. Talk about being a polyglot!
4. She’s an advocate for breast cancer awareness
Raising awareness and advocating for meaningful causes is part of a beauty pageant winner’s duty. Past titleholders have often championed causes close to their hearts, hoping to make a difference in the lives of those in need. For Opal, that cause is breast cancer awareness. She had a benign tumour removed at the age of 16 and is the founder of the Opal for Her project, which aims to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer prevention.
5. She also won the Miss World 2025 Multimedia Challenge
According to several reports, in addition to winning the main title, Opal also claimed victory in the pageant’s Multimedia Challenge. She reportedly topped the contestant app leaderboard, with over 2.3 million views.
Sources: MalayMail, AsiaOne, NationThailand
