A rare call for peace from a Thai public figure has triggered intense debate on Thai social media, emerging amid heightened nationalist sentiment and deadly clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border.
The remarks were delivered by Miss World 2025 Opal Suchata Chuangsri as she accepted the Global Leadership Achievement Award at the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) 2025 in Bangkok on Sunday.
In her speech, the Thai beauty queen urged leaders to choose “peace over war” and “humanity above gain,” a message that quickly resonated with peace advocates but drew sharp criticism from those emphasizing military defense during the ongoing border tensions.
Opal accepted the Global Leadership Achievement Award at the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) 2025 in Bangkok on Sunday.
Her speech, widely shared by the popular Facebook page Miss Boonrawd, highlighted a central theme: “The choices we make today will shape the lives of generations to come.”
“To transform hopes and visions into progress in the real world is to be united in action. Unity in action is choosing peace over war. Choosing cooperation over conflict. Choosing people over triumph. And build bridges where lost once stood, and placing humanity above gain.”
The Global Leadership Summit 2025 was primarily organized by the United Peace Keepers Federal Council (UNPKFC) under the slogan “One Vision, One Planet, United in Action.”
Held in Thailand to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, the event highlighted the country’s role as an international conference hub and the participation of Thai figures in promoting global peace and development.
The summit coincided with a sharp escalation in fighting along the Thai-Cambodian border. More than two dozen people on both sides have officially been reported killed in the past week, while more than half a million have been displaced.
The latest wave of large-scale fighting began with a skirmish on December 7 that wounded two Thai soldiers and disrupted a fragile ceasefire brokered in late July by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Although Trump announced last Friday that both countries had agreed to renew the ceasefire at his urging, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul denied making any such commitment. Cambodia, meanwhile, said it would continue fighting in what it described as self-defense.
Online Firestorm
Reaction to Chuangsri’s speech online was swift and deeply divided.
Miss Boonrawd praised the message, stating, “The voice Thai people need is one that calls for peace, not war!! Thank you Opal, for having the courage to stand up for peace at the Global Leadership Summit 2025. This is right, and this is what we need most.”
However, many commenters questioned the practicality of the call for peace.
One user, Thunyaporn, wrote: “How are we supposed to stop the Khmer when they are pointing guns at civilians, using landmines that sever soldiers’ legs?”
“Diplomatic talks have been done, agreements have been made, but we are negotiating with bandits who do not keep their word. If a robber breaks into your house and points a gun at your child, and you have a gun, will you shoot the robber to protect your child, or will you ask for diplomatic negotiations?”
Another user, Panpisa, challenged the remarks, asking: “Then please provide a concrete solution, what should be done? How do we negotiate with Cambodia? Please give a real-world answer, not imagination, not Romanticize.”
In response to the criticism, Miss Boonrawd argued that calling for peace does not signal weakness or a lack of patriotism, but instead reflects “the courage to stop the cycle of hatred” to protect lives, the economy, and long-term relations.
“It will not be ‘all over’ through years of protracted war, losing personnel, the morale of our border brethren, and vast military budgets,” the page wrote.
“Think of the people on the border, Thais in Cambodia, soldiers who are lost, students, and innocent people, etc. Choosing humanity over hatred, choosing peace over war, is the most important thing to do. In 10 or 20 years, people in the future will look back and admire and be proud of Opal’s words.”
Another netizen, Phicha, echoed that view, saying, “Talking about peace is not being naive; it requires true courage and far-sighted thinking. War never ends only on the battlefield; ordinary people are all affected—lives, the economy, and the future of the border. I am glad that someone in public dares to speak this point of view.”
