South African-born Tharina Botes wins Miss Universe Thailand 2026.
Image: Thailand Beauty Pageant
Tharina Botes, a South African-born model of Thai and South African heritage, has won Miss Universe Thailand 2026 and will represent Thailand at Miss Universe 2026.
Botes, representing Bangkok, was crowned Miss Universe Thailand 2026 on August 23, earning the right to represent the country at the next Miss Universe pageant.
A seasoned pageant contestant, she has represented South Africa at Miss International 2016 and was first runner-up at Miss Universe Thailand 2021.
After moving to Thailand at 22, Botes continued to compete; she represented Phuket at Miss Grand Thailand 2019 and reached the Top 10, and was crowned Miss Thailand World 2023 at the Palladium Hall of The Berkeley Hotel Pratunam in Bangkok, Thailand.
Speaking to IOL about the moment she heard her name called, Botes said: ‘Honestly, I don’t think my mind could process it.’”
Botes explained that she was experiencing many emotions at once: “fear, hope, disbelief, excitement”.
“When I heard my name, I think a part of me was still waiting for someone to tell me that I had heard correctly.
“Then I thought about the little girl who started dreaming about this ten years ago. I thought about everything she had gone through, every time she had fallen and stood back up.
“It felt almost like all those years came together in one single moment. And when I realised I had done it, I just couldn’t hold back the tears.”
For Botes, the crown means more than winning a competition. It represents ten years of believing in a dream, even when that dream felt far away.
“When I finally heard my name called, I wasn’t just thinking about the crown. I was thinking about every version of myself that had kept going."
“For me, this crown is proof that sometimes the dream takes longer than you expect, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t meant for you. Now, more than ever, I feel that this crown is not the destination. It is the beginning of a much bigger responsibility.”
Botes has certainly evolved from the person she was when she first walked on the runway. The woman who stood on the stage in 2026 wants to create something meaningful with the crown.
“Ten years ago, I was much more focused on proving that I was good enough. Today, I understand that a crown isn’t about proving your worth. It’s about using the platform you’ve been given to create impact.
"I’ve become more confident, but I think, more importantly, I’ve become more comfortable with who I am. I don’t feel that I need to be perfect anymore. I want to be authentic, present, and purposeful. And I think that is the biggest evolution of all.”
Her decade-long journey in pageantry has taught her that rejection is not the same thing as failure. Looking back on her earlier experiences with disappointment in pageantry, she revealed that she allowed the result to sometimes define her.
“With time, I learned that a result can tell you where you are in that particular moment; it doesn’t tell you who you are or what you’re capable of becoming.
“Every disappointment forced me to look inward, improve and reinvent myself.
“This time, I didn’t walk onto that stage trying to prove that I deserved to win. I walked onto the stage knowing who I was, knowing what I had worked for and trusting myself. I think that made all the difference.”
Botes adds that while winning gives one validation, losing gives one information. Each time she didn't get the result she wanted, Botes had to ask herself difficult questions. What could she improve? What could she learn? What did she need to change, and what parts of herself should she never change?
“Today, I don’t look at my losses as wasted years. They were part of my education. They prepared me for this moment.”
Botes was born in South Africa and has a Thai mother and a South African father, and moved to Thailand when she was 22.
Growing up in South Africa taught Botes to be strong, adaptable, and to appreciate people from different backgrounds; Botes carries both countries with her when she competes.
“South Africa is such a diverse country, and I think that gave me an understanding from a young age that our differences don’t have to divide us; they can actually bring us together.
“When I step onto an international stage representing Thailand, I don’t feel that I have to leave my South African identity behind.
“I carry both countries with me. I represent Thailand with all my heart, while bringing the strength and values I was raised with in South Africa. I think that combination is part of what makes my story unique.”
Living between South Africa and Thailand has given Botes a very broad understanding of people, culture and what it means to belong.
“South Africa taught me strength, independence and the importance of being grounded in who you are. Thailand taught me so much about warmth, community, respect and the beauty of making people feel welcome.”
Botes’ supporters in South Africa and abroad have been celebrating her Miss Universe Thailand 2026 crown. The support means more than Botes can put into words.
“I was born and raised in South Africa, so there will always be a very special part of my heart that belongs there. To see South Africans celebrating my journey and supporting me while I’m representing Thailand is incredibly emotional.
“I think my story reminds people that where you come from doesn’t limit where you can go. I am so proud to represent Thailand, and I’m equally proud of my South African roots. To have both sides of my story celebrated together is something I’ll always be grateful for.”
Moving to Thailand alone was a huge chapter of Botes' life; she had to build a life for herself in a place that was completely different from what she knew.
“I think that experience taught me that home isn’t always just the place where you were born. Sometimes home is the place where you grow, where people embrace you, and where you discover another side of yourself.”
Beauty pageants have evolved significantly, with greater emphasis on communication, advocacy, leadership and personality. Botes said she believes a modern beauty queen needs to be a leader.
Not necessarily someone who has all the answers, but someone who has the courage to stand for something, to listen to people and to use her voice responsibly.
“Beauty can open a door, but your character determines what you do once that door is open. For me, leadership is about making people feel that they can believe in themselves too. It’s about inspiring people, bringing people together and turning a platform into action.”
Botes explained that she wants to be the kind of queen who asks how she can use the crown to change someone else’s life.
Beyond the crown and the Miss Universe journey, Botes wants to be remembered for her heart and that she never forgot where she came from, embracing South Africa and Thailand.
“More than anything, I hope they remember that I tried to use my voice for something bigger than myself. Because one day the crown will belong to someone else. The titles will change. The stage will move on.
“But if I can leave people feeling more hopeful, more confident and more willing to believe in themselves, then I think I’ve done what I was meant to do. The crown was my dream for ten years. But the impact I can make with it is the dream now.”
The grand finale of the 75th Miss Universe 2026 competition is scheduled for November and will take place at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
IOL
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