Miss teen Cambodia contestant sparks drama after accusing Thailand of starting a war
Miss Teen Cambodia contestant sparks controversy after accusing Thailand of “starting the war” and demanding the return of 18 soldiers on stage
A contestant in the “Miss Teen Cambodia 2025” pageant has stirred controversy after breaking down in tears on stage while demanding the return of 18 Cambodian soldiers and accusing Thailand of “starting the war”.
On November 17, 2025, the TikTok account “queencambodiaofficial_17” posted a video showing one of the contestants speaking on stage while holding the Cambodian flag. The caption read, “Her tears are falling.” The contestant accused Thailand of being the one who “started the war” before emotionally calling for the return of the 18 soldiers, then walking off stage in tears.
The clip quickly drew widespread attention on social media, with many users criticising contestants for exploiting heightened tensions for publicity at a time when Thai–Cambodian border relations remain extremely volatile. The phrase “Thailand started the War” also emerged in online discussions.
The video shows the contestant initially speaking in Khmer, demanding that Cambodian soldiers be brought back. She then continues in English:
“Cambodia and Thailand have always lived together in peace, but now that peace has ended because Thailand started the war, something we never asked for… We do not want to fight. We want peace. We are not enemies. We are neighbours, human beings who deserve safety and a future free from hatred and war. Thank you.”
She then turns around and walks off stage as other contestants applaud.
