Thai-American Lo Colby wins Miss International Queen 2026 crown
The US representative takes the title in Pattaya while Thailand’s Theerachaya Pimkitidaj is first runner-up and Japan’s Saki Iwai is second runner-up.
- Lo Colby, a Thai-American representing the United States, was crowned Miss International Queen 2026 in Pattaya, Thailand.
- Raised in Hawaii, Colby is a transgender woman with a background as a drag performer, entrepreneur, and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.
- Her victory marks the first time in the pageant's 20-year history that the same country has won the title in consecutive years.
- Theerachaya Pimkitidaj of Thailand was named first runner-up, while Saki Iwai of Japan finished as second runner-up.
Pageant fans worldwide turned their attention to the Miss International Queen 2026 Crowning Finale, held on Saturday (September 19, 2026) at Tiffany’s Show Pattaya Theatre in Pattaya, Chonburi.
The event marked the pageant’s 20th anniversary under the theme “The Evolving Legacy: Empower Every Voice”, carrying forward the pageant’s values while giving every voice the power and space to be recognised.
Lo Colby, representing the United States, was crowned Miss International Queen 2026.
Thailand’s Theerachaya Pimkitidaj was named first runner-up, while Japan’s Saki Iwai finished as second runner-up.
Contestants from 27 countries took part in this year’s pageant.
Colby’s story was no less compelling than her appearance on stage.
A Thai-American transgender woman raised in Hawaii, she forged her own path in drag performance, entrepreneurship and work supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
Lo Colby’s journey from Hawaii to the world stage
Colby grew up in Hawaii and has family ties to Thailand through her mother.
She later built a career in the United States as an entrepreneur, drag performer and advocate for the rights and opportunities of the LGBTQ+ community.
She now lives and works in Los Angeles.
Her story also reflects a search for identity and an effort to create a space for herself.
She has spoken about growing up with Thai and American heritage and how working in the drag scene helped her find confidence, community and a sense of purpose.
Drag was more than performance work for Colby.
She expanded her career into business and event production, gaining experience in events and activities connected with drag culture in Los Angeles before applying that experience to social initiatives and efforts to create economic opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community.
A first visit to Thailand and a search for her roots
One aspect that made competing in Miss International Queen 2026 more meaningful for Colby was her journey to Thailand, the country where her mother was born.
The visit was therefore not solely about the pageant or winning the crown.
It also gave her an opportunity to experience her roots and Thai culture for herself before stepping onto the international stage as the United States representative.
Colby had begun to stand out even before the final after winning the Best in Talent award at The National Costume & Talent Quest.
Saki Iwai of Japan was first runner-up in the category, while Nguyen Cao Minh Anh of Vietnam was second runner-up.
Negotiate Your Narrative brings purpose beyond pageantry
Another important part of Colby’s story is “Negotiate Your Narrative”, an initiative focused on expanding employment and economic opportunities for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Its work includes career education, job-interview preparation, salary negotiation and professional development in the workplace.
The initiative was developed with Be the Transformational Change Fund and offers free training to interested participants, with Colby named as its spokesperson.
The initiative therefore aligned with the image Colby presented at Miss International Queen 2026, placing importance not only on beauty on stage but also on the stories, identities and opportunities of people in the LGBTQ+ community.
From US representative to Miss International Queen 2026
Colby ultimately won the Miss International Queen 2026 crown after competing among representatives from 27 countries, becoming the pageant’s 20th titleholder.
Her victory also gave the United States the Miss International Queen title for a second consecutive year after Midori Monét won the crown in 2025.
It marked the first time in the pageant’s history that the same country had won in successive years.
Thailand’s Theerachaya Pimkitidaj finished as first runner-up, while Japan’s Saki Iwai was second runner-up, completing the top three at Miss International Queen 2026.
The evening was therefore about more than awarding a crown.
It reflected the theme “The Evolving Legacy: Empower Every Voice” through the stories of contestants from different countries and provided space for the identities, talents and voices of transgender women to be seen on the global stage.
For Lo Colby, the journey from a Thai-American upbringing in Hawaii to becoming a drag artist, entrepreneur, LGBTQ+ advocate and Miss International Queen 2026 marks a new chapter in a story worth following on the international pageant stage.
