On the morning of 18/9, family, colleagues, and fans gathered at Tan Son Nhat Airport to cheer on Emoura Pham before her departure to Thailand. "I'm excited before joining the competition and looking forward to meeting the other contestants", she said.

Phuong Ha, 58, the beauty queen's mother, shed tears as her daughter prepared to check in for her flight. She expressed her emotion at seeing Emoura Pham grow more mature and independent, and shared her understanding of her daughter's worries about the competition. Having raised two children as a single mother for many years, Phuong Ha is a role model Emoura Pham admires. The family plans to arrange their schedules to travel to Thailand closer to the final to support Emoura Pham.

The beauty queen stated she feels less anxious now. Previously, she experienced pressure due to having only about one month to prepare everything. In recent weeks, Emoura limited her event appearances, dedicating time to honing her catwalk skills, practicing interview responses, and preparing her national costume and evening gowns. She also took dance and singing lessons with instructors for the talent portion of the competition.

Vietnamese contestants have achieved good results in the pageant, including Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, who was crowned in 2021, and Le Hoang Phuong, who placed as 4th runner-up in 2023. However, in the two most recent years, Miss Que Anh and Yen Nhi both returned empty-handed from the competition. On many forums, fans hope Emoura Pham will continue Vietnam's winning streak. "I aim to conquer the crown and bring pride to the audience", she stated.

Emoura Pham's beauty at 26.

International beauty pages have recently begun releasing lists of potential candidates, including Emoura Pham. In the competition's digital voting round, Emoura Pham is currently among the leading group with high scores. If she maintains her position in the top 5, she will have the opportunity for a private dinner with the president of Miss Grand International and Miss Grand International 2025 Emma Tiglao.

Emoura Pham, whose real name is Turner Katherine Margaret, with the Vietnamese name Pham Chan Phuong, was born in Thailand but moved to Vietnam at a young age after her parents divorced. At 15, she moved to the US for high school, later pursuing an Associate in Arts degree at Irvine Valley College in California. Standing 1.7 meters tall with measurements of 80-58-92 cm, she is often referred to by fans as a "mixed-heritage beauty".

Miss Grand International (MGI), founded in 2013 by Thai national Nawat Itsaragrisil, aims to spread a message of peace and call for an end to war and violence. The competition is held annually, rotating among various countries. Miss Grand has taken place two times in Vietnam, in 2017 (An Giang) and 2023 (TP HCM).

Over 12 seasons, the competition has gained attention, attracting a large number of contestants worldwide. However, the pageant has also faced numerous controversies, including conflicts with national directors holding the franchise rights, and Mr. Nawat Itsaragrisil, its head, often sparking debate with statements regarding contestants and backstage issues. In 5/2025, Miss Rachel Gupta of India relinquished her crown due to conflicts with the MGI organization.

The new season was initially announced to take place in India, but in early september, Mr. Nawat decided not to host the competition there after failing to reach an agreement on conditions with the hosting unit. He decided to bring Miss Grand International 2026 back to Thailand, with approximately 80 contestants expected to participate. Miss Emma Tiglao, from the Philippines, will crown the new beauty queen at the final on 10/10.

Tan Cao

Photos, video: Courtesy of the subject's team