Miss Universe Thailand 2026 was awarded to Tharina Botes on Sunday, August 23, and her victory speech doubled as a tribute to a Filipina beauty queen she considers her north star.
The Thai-South African model, no stranger to the pageant circuit, reached the Top 10 at the first-ever Miss Grand All Stars contest staged earlier in 2026. But it was the closing interview portion of the Thailand competition that put her admiration for a former titleholder on full display.
Pressed to name the Miss Universe winner who had shaped her most, Botes did not pause: “Oh my gosh, my favorite Miss Universe would have to be Catriona Gray from the Philippines.”
She elaborated on why the 2018 winner stands apart. “For me, she is the ultimate package,” she declared. “She won here in Thailand with her slow-mo lava walk. The way she turns and the way she speaks, she’s so articulate and passionate. She’s my inspiration and I hope to be like her.”
Botes credited Gray with teaching her a lesson that reached past runway technique and stage presence. “She really taught me that when you work hard and have determination and believe in ourselves, we can achieve everything we set our minds into,” she said. She pointed to Gray’s earlier setback as proof, noting: “And even though she didn’t place at Miss World, she showed us that rejection is just redirection, and she came back to win Miss Universe.”
There was a personal thrill mixed into the admiration, too. Botes revealed that Gray had recently connected with her on social media. “She followed me on Instagram the other day, I am so happy,” she said, before adding, “Mahal kita, Catriona Gray, and the Philippines.”
The influence Botes described traces back nearly ten years, to the night Gray secured the fourth Miss Universe title for the Philippines. In the years that followed, the winner directed her visibility toward causes including pediatric health, the country’s cultural heritage, and clean water access. Her reach has since extended into music, with an Awit Award nomination this August standing as her first recognition in that field.
