Miss Panama bound for Thailand pageant

Rosa Iveth Montezuma Panama’s representative in the 2018 Miss Universe contest will be traveling to Thailand in December where the pageant will be held for the third time.

Montezuma, a university student, is the first indigenous person to be crowned Miss Panama.

The organizers of the contest and the authorities of the country announced the location on Monday, August 31.

The gala will take place at the facilities of the IMPACT Arena Convention Center  in Bangkok on Monday, December 17, so that spectators from across the Pacific can see it live on Sunday night.

The Spanish model Ángela Ponce, 26, will become the first transsexual candidate, while Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia will appear for the first time. The crown is  currently worn by South African Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters

Thailand first hosted the pageant in 1992, when Michelle McLean of Namibia was the winner.

Bangkok repeated again in 2005, when Canadian Natalie Glebova was crowned at the IMPACT Arena.