A Cambodian female billiards player wearing traditional Thai clothing won the Best Dressed Award at the Korean Professional Billiards Association's annual event.
On 22 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Sruong Pheavy, a renowned Cambodian snooker and billiards athlete known in South Korea as the "Billiards Queen," received the "Best Dresser" award at the PBA Golden Cue Awards 2026. This event is the awards ceremony of the Professional Billiards Association (PBA) of Korea.
After receiving the award, she posted a message expressing love for her homeland: "Proud to be Cambodian. Our history, culture, and strong spirit deserve to be proudly shown to the world. No matter the difficulties, Cambodia always stands up. Thank you so much for helping to spread this."
She confirmed that the outfit she wore was Cambodia's national costume, despite its strong resemblance to the Thai traditional dress rather than the Cambodian "Sampot." This prompted Thai netizens to comment, thanking her for promoting Thai attire.
This incident occurred less than ten days after a civil society group led by Mom Luang Kantapong Worawut, along with over 50 social activists dressed in Thai traditional clothing, staged a protest urging the Ministry of Culture to take proactive measures in protecting Thai traditional dress, as Cambodia claims it amid UNESCO’s upcoming registration consideration later this year.