LATEST UPDATE: 12 October at 10:00 PM
Laos has long celebrated beauty pageants, with traditional events like Miss Luang Prabang and Miss Lao New Year enjoying significant local popularity. However, the country’s online presence didn’t reflect this fame until much later.
Although Miss Universe Laos made its international debut in 2016, its online visibility remained minimal for several years. A search for “Miss Universe Laos” in 2016 reveals little to no content on social media, indicating a disconnect between the pageant’s local popularity and its online representation.
It was then, when international beauty pageants were first introduced in Laos, when TV Lao HD acquired the Miss Universe franchise license.
By 2017, posts began to emerge, mirroring a growing interest in the pageant. However, it wasn’t until 2022 that mentions of Miss Universe Laos became widespread, largely thanks to the success of contestants like Payengxa Lor, who brought more attention to the beauty scene in the country.
In 26 August 2017, Laos officially crowned its first-ever Miss Universe Laos, Souphaphone “Nui” Somvichit, during a competition organized by TV Lao HD, sparking the beginning of this new trend.
“While I felt like the competitions gained a bit more attention in 2018 and 2019, it was still far from the attention they receive nowadays,” said Aaron Bouphapraseuth, National Director of the Miss World Laos Organization, Miss International Laos, Miss Cosmo Laos, and Mister World Laos
However, 2020 was a setback, as the Covid-19 pandemic halted all beauty pageants in Laos. Yet, in recent years, the number and prestige of international pageants have surged, with many competitions held nationwide. Some winners now earn the chance to represent Laos on the global stage, further bridging the gap between the pageant’s local fame and its online presence.
The international pageant scene in Laos regained popularity in 2021 when Christina Lasasimma, represented the country at Miss Universe in Florida in May. Her participation sparked growing interest in pageants across the nation, fueled by extensive coverage of her success in international media.
“This was when many businesses tried to take the Miss Universe franchise license from me,” Aaron said, explaining that he held the license for the Miss Universe franchise in Laos from 2018 to 2022, which allowed him to host a contest under certain brands, allowing the selection of contestants who exhibit potential to represent the country on the international stage.
Not everything went smoothly. Miss Fabulous Laos 2022—a beauty pageant allowing transgender women to compete—faced an unfortunate outcome. In September 2022, its organizers announced on Facebook that the competition had been permanently discontinued, along with any future events involving transgender participants.
But despite the challenges, Aaron noted that the popularity of beauty pageants in Laos saw a significant boost in 2022, particularly after Payengxa Lor, the winner of Miss Universe Laos 2022, achieved a top 16 placement at the Miss Universe 2022 pageant in New Orleans in January 2023. This accomplishment not only brought considerable attention to the pageant but also inspired more Lao women to participate.
Challenges in Pageantry: Language Barriers, Cultural Shyness, and Organizational Hurdles
Amidst the growing popularity, Aaron believes that many Lao women struggle to gain international recognition in pageants due to limited English proficiency. He noted that only a few, such as Payengxa and On-anong Honsombath, Miss Universe Laos 2018, are fluent in English. While contestants receive crash courses in English before competing internationally, Aaron finds this preparation often inadequate for effective communication on a global stage.
Aside from the language barrier, Aaron also highlighted another major challenge faced by women contestants: shyness. “A lot of them are still shy,” he said.
He explained that this reserved nature becomes most apparent when contestants are required to express their opinions on stage.
“This is also tied to their upbringing,” Aaron noted. “Many Lao women are raised to be considerate and reserved, so when they need to address challenging topics, they often come across as overly cautious and struggle to speak with full confidence.”
According to Aaron, being a successful beauty pageant contestant requires both sharp wits and high intelligence; looks alone are not enough to reach the top.
In addition to the challenges posed by cultural upbringing, Aaron found it difficult to secure internal support for hosting pageant contests.
When it comes to promoting these competitions on social media, Aaron revealed that he doesn’t have to pay for advertising, as his media partners manage the promotion. While he spends around USD 10,000 in the US due to his role as Executive National Director of Mister Global USA, he incurs no costs in Laos, thanks to his media partner’s efforts.
Despite saving on advertising expenses, organizing the events is still costly. Aaron shared that he receives no financial support from the government, except from a few state sponsorships whenever he hosts a pageant competition. He also explained that hosting media-involved events requires government approval.
“I have to handle all the paperwork myself to get my events approved by the Lao Youth Union and the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism,” he said.
There has been a noticeable lack of paid advertisements for pageants on Facebook, aside from promotional posts on pages like Miss World Laos, Miss Cosmo Laos, and Miss International Laos. According to Facebook’s Ads Library, there is no evidence of any active ads for pageants in Laos.
Aaron mentioned that any pageant competitions not overseen by the Lao government, particularly the Lao Youth Union, would face significant challenges, especially regarding safety.
“If anything happens to the contestants, the Lao government won’t have the authority to intervene,” Aaron explained. “The responsibility will fall entirely on the organizers.”
However, outside of advertising, most of the competition’s funding comes directly from Aaron’s pageant organization.
Beauty Queens: Shaping Society Through Leadership
The rising popularity of pageants in Laos has not gone unnoticed within the industry, with Payengxa Lor acknowledging the growing trend.
“Even people who never cared about beauty pageants have become enthusiastic, closely watching and cheering for the queens representing their home country,” she noted.
Being a role model entails significant responsibilities, which can vary depending on the pageant’s focus.
“A key responsibility of beauty pageant winners is to serve as positive role models for society. As beauty queens, we have the power to influence people’s thoughts and behaviors by leading by example,” Payengxa explained. “We can promote and support causes we are passionate about and make a meaningful impact in any area we choose to focus on.”
