By The Straits Times | Created at 2024-10-29 22:23:00 | Updated at 2024-10-30 07:33:09
1 day ago
Updated
Oct 28, 2024, 11:22 PM
Published
Oct 28, 2024, 11:08 PM
BANGKOK - The Miss Grand International’s feud with Myanmar continues even after the country’s beauty queen, Ms Thae Su Nyein, officially rejected her second runner-up placement from the recently-concluded pageant in Thailand.
While the pageant organiser has accepted Ms Thae’s decision, it has also imposed a “lifetime ban” on her national director Htoo Ant Lwin for his “lack of sportsmanship and business credibility”.
Mr Htoo was seen removing Ms Thae’s tiara from her head and taking away her second runner-up sash on the coronation night stage of Miss Grand International 2024, held in Thai capital Bangkok on Oct 26.
India’s Rachel Gupta scored her country’s first “golden crown” in the competition, while the Philippines’ Christine Juliane Opiaza finished second.
Ms Thae said on social media that she has no beef with the two women, and that she was weeping for her countrymen, who were expecting her to bring home the national costume prize and give Myanmar the distinction for “Country Power of the Year”.
Three delegates topped the national costume contest, the result of which was determined through online votes. They were Brazil’s Talita Hartmann, Ecuador’s Maria Jose Vera, and Honduras’ Yariela Garcia. Thailand took home the “Country Power of the Year” recognition.
Mr Htoo had earlier accused the president of Miss Grand International, Mr Nawat Itsaragrisil, of offering the crown for a price of US$25,000 (S$33,050), and that the Thai pageant official had accepted money from Indonesian pageant officers.
Mr Itsaragrisil vehemently denied the allegation, and dismissed Mr Htoo’s pronouncements as “ridiculous”.
Pageant fans from Myanmar have been aggressively parroting Mr Htoo’s accusations online, while saying that the pageant is a “cooking show”.
At a press conference held at Movenpick Sukhimvit 23 in Bangkok, Mr Itsaragrisil asked: “What makes (Ms Thae) so delusional?”
He added: “If she wants first place and must have it, I suggest she create her own pageant so she can win every title. Someone like you shouldn’t participate in anything competitive or challenging others. You should stay in your own imaginary, fantasy, virtual world.”
The recently-concluded competition was the 12th edition of the Bangkok-based Miss Grand International pageant. PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
