Ahtisa Manalo misses Miss Universe 2025 welcome dinner in Pattaya

November 14 ------ The delegates of the 74th Miss Universe pageant continued their journey in Thailand in the coastal city of Pattaya, but the Philippines’ Ahtisa Manalo was missing in the welcome event. The city hosted a special dinner dubbed “Memorable Night of Thainess” at Baan Suan Thai, with most of the candidates going onstage.

Eagle-eyed pageant fans who followed the event via a live video on social media, however, noted the absence of the Philippines’ Miss Universe bet from the entire stream.

Inquirer Entertainment reached out to the Miss Universe Philippines Organization to clarify the matter, and it was confirmed that Manalo had indeed missed the event. An insider from the national organization privy to the goings-on in Thailand shared that Manalo and several other delegates arrived late in Pattaya, including their luggage. “When they checked in at their hotel in Pattaya, their luggage still had not arrived, and they no longer had the time to glam up for the occasion, where the ladies were expected to be in formal finery.

The ladies had just come from Phuket, another coastal destination in Thailand, when they headed to Pattaya for the next leg of Miss Universe activities. Several delegates have reportedly suffered from food poisoning, and Iceland’s Helena O’Connor had already withdrawn from the competition after falling ill for several days.

A swimsuit fashion show is set to take place at Columbia Pictures Aquaverse in Pattaya on Friday, Nov. 14. The day after, the ladies will go through a round of closed-door interviews, still in the coastal city. The delegates will return to Bangkok for the final leg of activities, including the highly anticipated preliminary competition and national costume presentation on Nov. 19.

Reigning Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Theilvig will crown her successor at the conclusion of the competition at the Impact Challenger Hall in Nonthaburi on Nov. 21

Source: inquirer.net